India, Sept. 17 -- Thousands of aspiring autorickshaw and taxi operators in Pune can breathe easy, now that the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) Pune covering Pune city, Pimpri-Chinchwad, and Baramati has decided to extend the validity of the letters of intent (LOIs) which had lapsed following a statewide freeze on new autorickshaw permits.

The decision was taken on Wednesday to bring relief to permit holders struggling to complete vehicle-replacement formalities via revised deadlines and a partial waiver of late fees.

The move follows directions from the transport commissioner, Maharashtra, to regional transport offices (RTOs) across the state to halt the issuance of new autorickshaw permits. As a result, several applicants who had a...