Mumbai, March 14 -- Days after temporarily suspending the issuance of new auto-rickshaw permits and revoking provisional bike taxi licences across the state, the Maharashtra government on Friday made permits mandatory for electric auto rickshaws and e-bikes used in passenger transport. Such vehicles will now also have to be registered with regional transport offices (RTOs), state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik said. "Until now, electric rickshaws were not required to obtain a separate permit for passenger transport. However, considering the rapid increase in electric vehicles, the government has decided to make the permit process mandatory for e-rickshaws and e-bikes as well. This is to ensure uniform rules for passenger transport," said Sarnaik. The state government clarified that permits will be required only for vehicles engaged in passenger transport. The decision will ensure that the same regulatory framework applies to traditional rickshaws, taxis, and electric rickshaws, officials said. Introducing permits would also increase transparency in the passenger transport system and prevent irregularities, they added. "A single-window scheme will be started at the RTOs to simplify the permit process. Under this system, application submission, document verification, and approval procedures will be carried out at one place in a streamlined manner," said an RTO officer, requesting anonymity. The state government is also working to introduce electric auto rickshaws in the future, officials said, following a demand from auto and taxi unions. The state's decision to make permits mandatory followed a suspension of provisional bike taxi licences, after a review identified several regulatory and safety violations by companies offering these services. Meanwhile, the issuance of new auto-rickshaw permits was suspended to address rising traffic congestion and urban pollution. There are around 500,000 autos in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region....