The Delhi Government has launched an online registration portal for the DURGA e-auto scheme, reserving 1,300 electric autorickshaws for women and transgender persons seeking to own and drive vehicles for a livelihood. Applications will be invited through the portal, according to an official release from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta launched the portal at the Delhi Secretariat on Monday. The scheme was approved by the Delhi Cabinet the previous week and is intended to support economic opportunities for women and transgender persons while expanding their access to safe transport-related livelihoods.
Of the 1,300 e-autos earmarked under the scheme, 1,170 have been reserved for women and 130 for transgender persons. The allocation has been distributed across Delhi’s 13 revenue districts, with a maximum of 90 e-autos for women and 10 for transgender persons in each district.
Delhi has capped the total number of passenger autorickshaws in the city at one lakh, an official said. The DURGA scheme sets aside a portion of that overall quota for women and transgender persons. Applicants who register through the portal and meet the prescribed conditions will receive a Letter of Intent from the Transport Department, allowing them to own and drive an autorickshaw, the official said.
Women applicants must be between 20 and 40 years old, residents of Delhi, and holders of a valid light motor vehicle driving licence and a public service vehicle badge. Their annual family income must not exceed ₹5 lakh. The eligibility conditions also include a requirement relating to a maximum of three living children.
Transgender applicants must also meet the specified age and Delhi residency requirements and hold a valid driving licence and public service vehicle badge. The CMO release did not specify the purchase price of the electric autos or announce financial assistance to help beneficiaries acquire the vehicles.
The scheme links livelihood access with the city’s autorickshaw and electric mobility systems. However, the immediate process for applicants will depend on the portal’s registration requirements, the Transport Department’s scrutiny and the subsequent issuance of Letters of Intent. The official release did not provide a separate timeline for vehicle delivery or the commencement of operations.
Ms. Gupta said the economic empowerment of women and transgender persons, along with improving their access to safe transport, was among her government’s priorities. “The DURGA scheme is an important step in this direction, enabling women and transgender persons to own and drive pink electric autos and gain opportunities for dignified self-employment and financial independence,” she said.
The next formal step is for eligible applicants to register through the online portal and comply with the conditions prescribed by the Transport Department. The government is yet to announce details on vehicle costs or any financial support linked to the scheme.
