Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday launched the digital portal for the Durga E-Auto Scheme, under which 1,300 pink electric autos will be allocated to women and transgender applicants in the first phase. The scheme combines a livelihood programme with plans to expand safer and more inclusive last-mile transport in the capital.
The portal was launched at the Delhi Secretariat in the presence of Transport Minister Pankaj Singh and Transport Commissioner Niharika Rai. Applications will remain open for three months after the scheme receives approval, according to the report by Jagran – New Delhi.
Of the 1,300 electric autos, 1,170 have been earmarked for women and 130 for transgender applicants. The government has described the programme as a measure to provide dignified self-employment, support economic independence and promote safe transport services.
The scheme is formally named DURGA, or Driving, Upliftment and Rojgar for Women/Transgender E-Auto. If the number of eligible applications exceeds the available quota, the vehicles will be allotted through an online lottery. The report did not specify the total subsidy amount, the vehicle manufacturers involved or the expected date on which the first vehicles will be delivered.
Women applicants must be between 20 and 40 years old and meet several eligibility conditions. They must be residents of Delhi and hold a valid driving licence and a public service vehicle badge. Their family’s annual income must not exceed Rs 5 lakh. Selected women applicants will also be facilitated with loans at lower interest rates, although the report does not provide details of the lending institutions, repayment terms or interest rates.
The government has also indicated that the scheme will require supporting transport infrastructure beyond the allocation of vehicles. It plans to develop e-auto stands near women’s colleges and provide parking and charging facilities at Metro and Namo Bharat stations. These locations could help connect the new vehicles to major passenger destinations, but the report does not establish how many stands or charging points will be created, or when they will become operational.
The portal’s launch places the administrative process for the scheme online, including the application and potential lottery stages. The eligibility requirements mean that access will depend not only on applicants’ interest in driving but also on their possession of the required licence and public service vehicle badge, along with compliance with the income and residency conditions.
For Delhi’s transport system, the programme links three functions that are often handled separately: electric vehicle adoption, last-mile connectivity and access to urban livelihoods. Its implementation will now depend on the volume of eligible applications, the loan arrangements offered to selected applicants, the procurement and delivery of the e-autos, and the creation of parking and charging facilities. The application window is expected to remain open for three months after approval of the scheme.
