Uttarakhand: Political pressure aside, ban on E-Rickshaw will remain in place in Dehradun

The Dhami government of the state has made it clear that it will not accept any kind of political pressure nor will it make any compromise on the issues of public interest and the steps being taken to resolve public problems. In this sequence, the government has approved to ban the operation of e-rickshaws, which have become the biggest hurdle in the traffic system of Doon city, on major routes.

The government has justified the decision taken in the Divisional Transport Authority (RTA) meeting held on December 23, in which the operation of e-rickshaws on major routes was banned from 8 am to 8 pm. Let us tell you that Congress and Left leaders are opposing this decision and have also demonstrated from the Secretariat to the District Magistrate’s office.

After the approval of the government, Garhwal Divisional Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey has entrusted the responsibility of enforcing this ban to SSP and SP Traffic. If they are seen moving on the main roads despite the ban, then SSP and SP Traffic will be held accountable.

Divisional Commissioner Pandey also instructed the district administration, police and transport department to put up information boards related to the ban on the city roads.

Let us tell you that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Chief Secretary Dr. SS Sandhu are very angry over the deteriorating traffic system of Dehradun city. As per the order of the Chief Secretary, the Transport Department has prepared an action plan under the Urban Mobility Plan and has decided to ban the operation of e-rickshaws on major routes.

RTO Sunil Sharma said that under the plan to ease the urban traffic, e-rickshaws will run only on the inner routes of the city and will come to the side of the main road to drop the ride, but will not operate on the main routes.

The Divisional Commissioner has instructed the SSP and SP Traffic that the work done in compliance with the action to ban e-rickshaws will have to be reported to the Divisional Commissioner’s office every week.

E-rickshaw banned on these major routes

• Clementtown-Saharanpur Road-Prince Chowk-Ghantaghar-Rajpur Road-Kuthalgate Road
• Jhajhra-Premnagar-Ballupur-Chakrata Road-Ghantaghar-Raipur Road
• ISBT-Haridwar Bypass-Jogiwala-Mohkampur Road

Hence the ban imposed

E-rickshaws, which were run to provide transportation facilities to the common people and to reduce the pollution level in the city, have today become a ‘canker’ for the city. Their flocks are visible on main roads, major intersections and intersections. This has become not only a traffic jam but also a big problem for the public.

If we look at the figures, currently more than 4,800 e-rickshaws are registered in Doon as per the records of the Transport Department. Along with the registered e-rickshaws, a large number of unregistered e-rickshaws are also running.

There seems to be a swarm of e-rickshaws here

Patelnagar Lalpul, ISBT Tiraha, Niranjanpur Mandi Tiraha, Kargi Chowk, Prince Chowk, Railway Station, Ghantaghar, Balliwala and Ballupur Chowk, Premnagar, Shimla Bypass Tiraha, Doon Hospital Tiraha, Jogiwala Chowk, Dharampur, Bindal Tiraha, Darshanlal Chowk, Rispana Bridge, Survey Chowk, Saharanpur Chowk, Pathribagh Chowk etc.

Violating traffic rules with impunity

From Ghantaghar, which is called the heart of the city, to Lalpul Tirahe or Rajpur Road, the scene is more or less the same from six in the morning to ten in the night. Here there is not one queue of e-rickshaws, but five. The situation is such that these e-rickshaw drivers have no match in overtaking and roaming anywhere.

E-rickshaw will be confiscated if it runs on restricted route

The Senior Superintendent of Police and Superintendent of Police (Traffic) of the district have been made accountable to control the uncontrolled operation of e-rickshaws and their registration. It will be the responsibility of both of them to ensure that the e-rickshaw is not operated on the restricted route under any circumstances.

Police will also have the primary responsibility of challaning e-rickshaws operating on restricted routes. The challan for e-rickshaw will be Rs 500 if it operates on a restricted route for the first time.

For the second time, Rs 1,000 will be challaned, and for the third time Rs 2,000 will be challaned. If caught for the fourth time, the registration and permit of the e-rickshaw will be canceled and the vehicle will be confiscated.