GUWAHATI: The unregulated e-rickshaw movement is reportedly adding to the chaos at the Fancy Bazar area in Guwahati – the business hub of the city. E-rickshaws are a shared mode of transportation that takes people from one place to another within a radius of 5-6 km at a low nominal cost for the convenience of daily commuters.
However, the e-rickshaws in Fancy Bazar do not conform to any of these norms. In fact, many people feel that their presence is actually adding to the inconvenience and chaos in the area which is already severely congested with regular crowds, traffic and parking issues.
E-rickshaws usually charge a nominal amount from people who travel in them, as compared to other modes of transportation like rickshaws, cabs or taxis. Nevertheless, the residents of Fancy Bazar claim that the same is not practised by the E-rickshaws plying in the area.
“I have tried using E-rickshaws twice, but the drivers quote whatever price they feel like asking. They asked me for Rs 70 to take me from Jail Road to Athgaon. Even rickshaws also ask for Rs 50 maximum, while e-rickshaws are asking for more. It’s ridiculous!” a resident of the Fancy Bazar area complained.
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Another resident stated, “The e-rickshaws are usually only useful in the morning hours when the wholesale market is running, as the buyers find them useful to transport supplies to nearby places, but during the rest of the day, I don’t see a lot of people using e-rickshaws.”
Using e-rickshaws for transporting goods and supplies is actually illegal, a Traffic Police official informed GPlus.
“We issue challans whenever we catch them transporting goods. They usually carry fruits and vegetables in the morning hours, but it’s not allowed. So, most of the time they see us and run as they know it's illegal,” the traffic official said.
“They are also not allowed to ply on the MG road and are only allowed to run within the inner lanes of the market. We also generally don’t let them inside the main market areas due to the crowd and tell them to leave because they cause a lot of traffic jams. In case of any violations, we take a picture and issue e-challans to them,” the official further said.
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Some local residents have also expressed concerns about the reckless driving by the e-rickshaw drivers, as one person stated, “They drive very fast and that is quite dangerous in this market. A lot of crowds come here every day and most people do not practice caution while walking or while crossing the road. We can’t even blame them due to the pathetic condition of the footpaths and due to the street hawkers and vendors taking over most of the roads and footpaths. As such, it is expected that vehicles passing through the market exercise control and caution.”
The e-rickshaws are also found parking at several key corners of the Fancy Bazar market, along Jail Road or at MS Road near Railway Gate no. 4, further contributing to the extreme congestion and parking issues in the area.
The spotlight is now on the concerned Traffic authorities and the District Transport Office on how they would curtail this menace and regulate the movement of e-rickshaws by setting specific routes for them and implementing standard fares, so it can help the public by making their daily commute easier and not add to the already existing woes of the area residents.
