Electric rickshaws were introduced in Nagpur to replace human-pulled rickshaws and reduce air pollution. They were allowed to operate everywhere except on the city’s busiest 13 roads. However, they have worsened traffic congestion in these already crowded areas.
According to media report, despite a ban on operating on 13 major roads in Nagpur, drivers of these battery-powered vehicles continue to flout regulations and navigate the city without regard for the restrictions.
Motorists complain that the slow-moving three-wheelers add to traffic congestion and pose safety risks due to their lack of designated routes and stopping points. Visits to major roads like Central Avenue, Wardha Road, Inner Ring Road, and Amravati Road revealed widespread non-compliance.
Infact, hundreds of e-rickshaws can be observed slowing down traffic on busy thoroughfares, congesting the entry and exit points of railway stations, and causing traffic jams in prohibited areas. The erratic behavior of e-rickshaw drivers is a source of frustration for motorists, particularly on major roads and near educational institutions and hospitals.
These vehicles frequently stop unexpectedly on the road to pick up passengers, leading to traffic disruptions and accidents. Jyoti Pawar, a resident of Sadar, remarked, “The drivers apply brakes suddenly in the middle of the road, testing the vehicle drivers behind. Additionally, they are infamous for overloading, endangering the lives of passengers seated inside.” Dinesh Naidu, a vigilant citizen, said e-rickshaw drivers have no clue about the Motor Vehicles Act.
“With little knowledge of traffic rules, and sometimes a poor understanding of them, they end up adding to the city’s traffic woes,” he said. “Like other vehicles, the regional transport authority must invoke all Motor Vehicles Act rules and regulations on the e-rickshaws as well,” he added.
According to data from the Regional Transport Authority (RTA), 10,547 e-rickshaws are registered with its city and east offices. However, sources indicate that the actual number could be significantly higher as thousands operate without mandatory registration. A senior RTO official noted that restrictions on e-rickshaws were implemented on the city’s main roads in 2022.
The RTA guidelines mandate that e-rickshaws operate exclusively on internal roads and specific areas such as Gokulpeth, Itwari, Gandhibagh, and Mahal,” stated the official. DCP (Traffic) Shashikant Satao further confirmed that e-rickshaws are explicitly prohibited on 13 major roads throughout Nagpur, including routes like Wadi to Sitabuldi, Sitabuldi to CA, Kamptee Road, Chhatrapati Chowk, Hingna Road, Cotton Market, Saoner Road, Nandanvan, Hudkeshwar, Besa etc.
They are restricted from operating on all main highways and flyovers. “Despite the prohibition, e-rickshaws were spotted traversing these roads,” the DCP said. The city traffic police have issued penalties to 3,732 e-rickshaws for breaching permit regulations, collecting fines totaling 23.61 lakh rupees, Satao added. He also noted that auto-rickshaws and e-rickshaws stopping in front of schools pose serious accident risks due to the high volume of school children.