After EV battery explosion claims 1 life, Indian minister takes tough stand on companies
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In a series of tweets, Gadkari said several mishaps involving electric two-wheelers have come to light in the last two months
With increasing incidents of electric two-wheelers catching fire across India, including one that led to the death of an 80-year-old man, Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said an expert committee would probe the matter while warning the companies that they will be heavily penalised for negligence.
In a series of tweets, Gadkari said, "We have constituted an expert committee to enquire into these incidents and make recommendations on remedial steps.
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"Based on the reports, we will issue necessary orders on the defaulting companies," the road transport and highways minister said.
The transport minister said that the government will soon issue quality-centric guidelines for electric vehicles.
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Gadkari has asked the companies to recall all defective batches of vehicles immediately, adding, "If any company is found negligent in their processes, a heavy penalty will be imposed."
"Under the leadership of PM Shri @narendramodi ji, our government is committed to ensure safety of each and every commuter," he tweeted.
The government had ordered a probe last month after an e-scooter launched by ride-hailing operator Ola's electric mobility arm caught fire in Pune.
The Centre for Fire Explosive and Environment Safety (CFEES) had been asked to probe the circumstances that led to the incident and also suggest remedial measures, according to the road transport ministry. The ministry had also asked CFEES to share the findings along with its suggestions on measures to prevent such incidents.
So far, three incidents have come to the fore where Pure EV, one Ola, two Okinawa, and 20 Jitendra EV scooters have caught fire.