Breaking News: Thousands of Illegal E-Rickshaws Set to Be Taken Off Streets in Bengal!

The West Bengal transport department has made a drastic decision to streamline the registration of e-rickshaws in a bid to phase out unregistered and illegally manufactured vehicles across the state. In a determined effort to tackle the issue of thousands of lakhs of unregistered e-rickshaws plying on Bengal roads, officials are set to identify and discontinue the operation of unregistered e-rickshaws in a time-bound manner.

According to reports from senior officials at the transport department, district magistrates have been ordered to carry out extensive drives to track down and identify battery-operated unregistered e-rickshaws that have been built in clandestine workshops across the state. These vehicles, which were not built following standard manufacturing procedures or adhering to safety guidelines, pose significant risks to the safety and well-being of citizens.

This landmark decision comes hot on the heels of representations from various stakeholders about the widespread non-compliance of registration guidelines for e-rickshaws. According to a notice issued by Transport Secretary Saumitra Mohan on September 12, these representations point to a glaring issue in the state where lakhs of e-rickshaws, including those manufactured by companies without obtaining approval from competent authorities, are plying on the roads without abiding by the rules.

The notice reads, "Representations have been received from different stakeholders in connection with non-compliance of guidelines for registration of e-rickshaws, duly manufactured by different companies including original equipment manufacturers, after obtaining the approval from the competent authority." This grim revelation highlights the extent of lawlessness on Bengal roads, with these unregistered e-rickshaws contributing to chaotic and hazardous road conditions.

As per the Central Motor Vehicle Act, e-rickshaws are required to obtain approval from the authority before manufacturing and registration. However, in Bengal, thousands of units of unregistered e-rickshaws were reportedly being manufactured in workshops that flout basic safety standards, leaving passengers vulnerable to accidents and fatal injuries.

With this plan to phase out these vehicles, the West Bengal government is set to bring some much-needed order to the state's chaotic transportation landscape. Officials have set the wheels in motion for a phased removal of these unregistered e-rickshaws, aiming to safeguard citizens and ensure that e-rickshaw manufacturing and operations follow safety protocols set by law.

According to insiders, district authorities have been instructed to meticulously map out the e-rickshaw hub and identify workshops involved in manufacturing these unregistered vehicles. An inventory of unregistered e-rickshaws will be compiled and these vehicles will be gradually removed from the streets, marking an important step towards cleaning up Bengal's transport sector.

However, industry insiders predict that the transition could spark significant disruption to the transportation services in Bengal. As many of these operators have come to rely on unregistered e-rickshaws to make a living, officials will need to devise strategies for phasing out these units while simultaneously providing protection to e-rickshaw drivers who have been affected by the decision.

In recent years, Bengal, like many other Indian states, has witnessed an exponential rise in the number of e-rickshaws on its roads. As commuters increasingly look for affordable, eco-friendly transport solutions, e-rickshaws have become a mainstay of Bengal cities. However, under current circumstances, hundreds of lives are at risk as e-rickshaws have been plugging along the state's congested roads in huge numbers.

Once the authorities are able to phase out the hazardous unregistered e-rickshaws and come up with measures for enforcing safety standards on all e-rickshaws, Bengal residents can look forward to safer and cleaner transport services.

The issue points to the pressing need for greater regulation in the e-rickshaw industry and action against manufacturers of fake e-rickshaws. Citizens will closely watch how the situation evolves as the govt intervenes and how manufacturers transform their practices in accordance with the safety guidelines issued by competent authorities.