After four years of wait, horse buggies to get licences

After four years of anticipation, the horse buggies will finally get licences to run operations across the city.

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation has formulated a policy to regulate horse buggies to be used for ceremonial purposes in the areas under its limits.

Horse buggies are used by people for social ceremonies especially weddings. “A policy for granting licences to horse buggies was passed by the unified Municipal Corporation (MCD) in 2011,” said a senior official with North Corporation.

“However, this policy could not take off due to some issues faced by the horse buggies owners. The department has now simplified the policy as approved by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation,” he added.

Under the new proposal, the licences will be given to the horse buggies being driven by two or more horses.

“A buggy can’t have more than six horses to be used for ceremonial purposes like weddings, shobha yatra, religious processions, among others,” said the proposal.

“A buggy having four or six wheels will be allowed to ply on the roads,” it added.A buggy having two wheels will not be given a licence, the official said. “It will be treated as a horse tonga that have been phased out by the unified Municipal Corporation (MCD) in 2010,” he added.

The licences will be issued for a year. “No licence will be issued on ad-hoc or temporary basis. The licence once issued will be valid till March 31 of every year and it has to be renewed every year,” he said.

The owner of the horse buggy must have a veterinary medical certificate being issued by a veterinarian. “The licence holder should ensure that no inconvenience is caused to the local residents,” he said.

The owners wil be responsible for causing insanitary conditions caused by horses, he added.

“He should carry a bin for horse excreta and dispose the same of at the municipal dhalaos.”

A licence holder can sell his horse to any person, but he has to inform municipal corporation.