The Supreme Court on Thursday permitted Maharashtra to introduce eco-friendly e-rickshaws in the Matheran eco-sensitive zone on an experimental basis, to check its feasibility to replace hand-pulled rickshaws plying in the area.

The petitioner, Sunil Shinde, a retired schoolteacher and a resident of Matheran, had moved court seeking that e-rickshaws be allowed to ply in the hill station. Shinde on Saturday thanked mid-day for its sustained support for the cause and said that the landmark decision of the court “will give freedom to the suffering cart pullers”. The hand-cart operators have been struggling for a long time and their operations are not sustainable. They were badly hit in the pandemic due to lack of tourists in addition to other practical problems.