Advertisement
The Gulf conflict has disrupted global supply chains, pushed...
REITs have changed the way commercial real estate is owned a...
What does it take to preserve a real estate legacy while bui...
What really powers the cloud? Behind every Google search, A...
A lot of what defines a home isn’t visible at handover. I...
The West Bengal Transport Department has directed police authorities to strictly enforce restrictions on e-rickshaws, locally known as totos, operating on National Highways, State Highways and other major roads. The department said it had received several complaints about violations of existing guidelines, with unauthorised e-rickshaw movement contributing to traffic congestion and raising safety concerns. Principal Secretary (Transport) Ravi Inder Singh, in a letter to the police, reiterated that e-rickshaws are primarily intended to provide last-mile connectivity and are not permitted on major roads under existing rules. The department referred to a state government memorandum issued in July 2016, which allows e-rickshaws only on designated local roads unless specifically authorised otherwise. Violators may face action under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and related rules. The department said the number of e-rickshaws operating across the state could run into several thousand.
The West Bengal Transport Department has directed police authorities to strictly enforce restrictions on e-rickshaws operating on National Highways, State Highways and other major roads, citing complaints of violations, traffic congestion and safety concerns. The directive was issued to police earlier this week following instructions from the department’s Principal Secretary (Transport), Ravi Inder Singh.
In a letter to the police, Singh said e-rickshaws, commonly known as totos, were intended primarily to provide last-mile connectivity and that their operation on major roads was prohibited under the existing guidelines. The department asked police authorities to ensure compliance with the prescribed restrictions.
The Transport Department said it had received several complaints regarding e-rickshaws operating on National Highways, State Highways and other major roads in breach of the applicable guidelines. According to the department, such movement has contributed to traffic congestion and raised concerns relating to road safety.
The directive also refers to a state government memorandum issued on July 28, 2016. Under the memorandum, e-rickshaws are permitted to operate only on designated local roads. Their operation on National Highways, State Highways and other major roads is prohibited unless specific authorisation has been granted.
The department has instructed police authorities to issue necessary directions to subordinate officers to ensure implementation of the restrictions. It said appropriate action could be taken against violators under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and the rules framed under the legislation.
The Transport Department has asked police to treat enforcement of the restrictions as an urgent matter. The directive comes as e-rickshaws continue to operate as a mode of short-distance public transport across towns and villages in the state.
A senior government official said the department did not have consolidated data on the number of e-rickshaws operating across different towns and villages in West Bengal. However, the total number could run into several thousand, indicating the scale of the enforcement challenge for local authorities.
The restrictions do not amount to a blanket prohibition on e-rickshaws across the state. Under the 2016 memorandum cited by the department, their operation remains permitted on designated local roads, while use of National Highways, State Highways and other major roads requires specific authorisation.
The latest direction therefore places responsibility on police authorities to ensure that e-rickshaws remain within the roads and routes permitted under the existing framework. The department’s action is centred on enforcing rules that have been in place since 2016, following complaints over their operation on roads where they are not authorised to ply.
Source - PTI
Advertisement
Facebook
Whatsapp
