Due to unregulated operation of e-rickshaws in Dehradun and Haridwar, the state transport department decided to stop issuing new registrations for battery rickshaws in the two districts. Besides, e-rickshaws will not be allowed to ply on main roads from 8 am to 8 pm. A decision to this effect was taken in the meeting of the Road Transport Authority chaired by Garhwal commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey on Saturday.
The fine amount on erring e-rickshaw drivers has also been quadrupled from INR 500 to INR 2,000. Commissioner Pandey directed SSP and RTO officials to provide weekly reports of the action taken against violators.
During the meeting, Pandey also ordered installation of GPS devices in every commercial vehicle, including e-rickshaws, city buses, taxis and three-wheelers. For this, vehicle owners have been given a time limit till 30th April.
Auto-rickshaw association president Pankaj Arora said, “A sudden surge in the number of e-rickshaws in these cities was becoming a menace for commuters. They violate traffic rules, bringing chaos to the roads. Authorities should issue permits for areas like Vikas Nagar and Doiwala where a few more vehicles can be accommodated.”
