The government has done away with the need for a commercial licence to drive taxis, two-wheelers, three-wheelers and e-rickshaws. Drivers can now use their private licences to drive these vehicles.
However, commercial licences will still be necessary to operate trucks, buses and other heavy vehicles, a Ministry of Road Transport notification issued on Monday said, according to The Times of India. The ministry issued an advisory to all states about following the new rules, citing a Supreme Court judgement from July last year.
As per this notification, there is no need under the law to obtain a separate licence for driving a light motor vehicle, whether for transport, non-transport or commercial purposes, Sakshi Mittal Gupta, an advocate-on-record at the Supreme Court, told The Hindu.
At present, commercial driving licences need to be renewed every three years, while the duration of a private licence is 20 years.
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