Commuting on the Bishnu Rabha Path in Ward No 28 under Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) has become a nightmare for the residents due to a large cluster of unruly e-rickshaws.
At any given point of time, one can find at least 20 to 25 e-rickshaws parked haphazardly near the Beltola Masjid, about 50 metres from one of the busiest traffic junctions of the city - Beltola Tinali.
“There is a constant traffic jam in this area due to these e-rickshaws. For the residents along this road, it is the only way to the city and during the office hours, it is very difficult to cross this stretch. These vehicles crowd the area near the Masjid from 9 in the morning when the traffic for office goers reaches its peak and they stay there till around 9 at night,” Dipak Talukdar, a resident of the area, said.
The e-rickshaws mostly ply between Beltola Tinali and Saukuchi/Nalapara. The congestion caused by these vehicles is so chronic that Pawan Kalita, a resident near Beltola Tinali, said that he completely avoids this route at the expense of a detour.
“I take a detour through Binapani Road from Beltola which exits at the Hatigaon-Bhetapara Road and travel an extra kilometre to reach my office located about 100 metres from Bhetapara Chariali. It is a longer route but with lesser hassles and it saves more time,” Kalita said.
The Bishnu Rabha Path, a 1.4 km stretch of narrow road that connects Bhetapara Chariali with Beltola Tinali, has, over time, developed into a sprawling upscale residential area. Pyali Bujarbaruah, who lives in a flat there, said that she feels unsafe to commute through that stretch due to “uncivil” conduct of the e-rickshaw drivers who occupy the footpaths as well.
“While the vehicles remain parked on the road, the drivers flock together on the footpaths. They smoke and use uncouth language including slangs while conversing with each other. At nights, they play cards and generally keep an undesirable presence in the area. It doesn’t seem safe anymore for the women at nights,” Bujarbaruah said.
Police fails to control
The Bishnu Rabha Path Unnayan Samiti had filed a written complaint at the Hatigaon Police Station, but couldn't remove these e-rickshaws.
"We had filed the complaint a month ago following which the police had led two separate drives to clear the Masjid area. But when the police go away these drivers return," Dipak Talukdar, who is also a member of the committee constituted by the residents of that area, said.
E-rickshaws that operate on battery and came into business after the Motor Vehicle Act 1988, is not recognised as a vehicle and thus doesn't fall under any category of the vehicles as per the act. The Supreme Court has barred these vehicles from operating in the metro and urban areas.
However, these vehicles can be registered by the district administration with the authority vested by the state government and are allowed to ply in the suburban areas and outskirts of the city.
"These vehicles cannot cross the road into Beltola as it is an urban area. But since these are registered, we cannot drive them away either. Police cannot do much if the district administration registers excess number of vehicles," police said.
Councillor promises to raise issue with GMC
“I will take up this issue in the GMC council meetings,” Bhagya Ram Terong, councillor of Ward No 28 told G Plus here.
Admitting of being unaware of this development, Terong said, "Had they approached me personally, or filed a written complaint to the GMC, I would have known about this development. I am not aware of this problem. I will raise this issue in the GMC council meeting."
He also said that he will get a better perspective of the problem from the officer-in-charge of the Hatigaon police station.
"But the police can only get involved if these e-rickshaw drivers misbehave or break any rule. Since their registration isn't under police jurisdiction, traffic police cannot cancel their license," Terang said.