Ludhiana: MC in the dark over 80 missing e-rickshaws

Ludhiana MC has yet to address the disappearance of 80 GPS-enabled e-rickshaws meant for sanitation, raising accountability concerns after two months.

Nearly two months after the Punjab assembly’s committee on local bodies flagged the disappearance of 80 GPS-enabled e-rickshaws, the Ludhiana municipal corporation (MC) has yet to take concrete action to trace the missing vehicles or fix accountability for the lapse.

The e-rickshaws were purchased at a cost of ₹9.36 crore, with an additional ₹10 lakh spent on GPS installations. (HT File)

The issue first came to light during an on-site inspection at the central workshop on Hambran Road on February 21 when the assembly committee found that 80 out of the 350 e-rickshaws, distributed to sanitation workers under the 15th Finance Commission in 2023, were missing. These vehicles were specifically procured for dry waste collection and came equipped with GPS trackers to ensure accountability and monitoring.

The e-rickshaws were purchased at a cost of ₹9.36 crore, with an additional ₹10 lakh spent on GPS installations. Despite this investment in tracking technology, the corporation has failed to explain how such a large number of vehicles went missing or why no proactive steps have been taken to recover them. According to the latest report submitted to the zonal commissioner, the missing vehicles were spread across different zones and categories. Of the 350 e-rickshaws allotted to the health branch, only 270 have been traced so far.

The most glaring irregularities were found in Zone D, which had received 141 vehicles. Only 85 have been located, while 56 remain untraceable, the highest discrepancy across all zones in Ludhiana. Other zones also reported gaps. Zone B was allotted 87 vehicles, with 83 traced and four still missing. Zone C received 73 e-rickshaws, of which 59 have been accounted for, leaving 14 missing. Zone A, which received the fewest 29 vehicles, has reported six missing and 23 traced. In addition, all 12 e-rickshaws allotted to NGOs and resident welfare associations (RWAs) have been traced. Similarly, all eight vehicles given to the sanitation staff category have been accounted for. While these categories reflect proper tracking and oversight, the large number of missing vehicles from the health branch, particularly in Zone D, remains a serious concern.

During the February inspection, when the committee asked MC officials about the status of specific e-rickshaws, including one reportedly allotted to a sanitation worker, the officer failed to provide a satisfactory response after the worker claimed his vehicle was sent to the workshop for repairs. In response, the committee directed that a re-verification of e-rickshaws be conducted at the workshop on February 25.

Officials were also instructed to repair non-functional vehicles or have them condemned if deemed irreparable. However, as of now, no visible progress has been made on either front, and the MC has yet to issue any update regarding an investigation or recovery effort. A report by the health branch noted that 41 e-rickshaws were under repair at the workshop on February 21.

Most have since been returned to their respective departments, but the process raised concerns about the tracking and documentation of vehicle movements. Despite having GPS trackers, the system reportedly failed to flag any of the missing vehicles, pointing to serious lapses in operational oversight.

Additionally, 41 vehicles were deemed beyond repair, and officials concerned were directed to create a list for condemnation. Earlier, a letter was sent to higher authorities on March 12, 2024, requesting formation of a committee to review and formally condemn the unserviceable vehicles.

However, the committee is yet to be constituted, delaying any formal resolution. MLA Madan Lal Bagga, chairman of the assembly committee said, “I am going to take up the issue again within two days in vidhan sabha committee and I have already directed the officials to submit the deep analysis report in this regard.”

An MC official, seeking anonymity, said, “The workshop in-charge has been directed to make a report regarding the employees to whom the missing e-rickshaws were allotted and get FIRs registered against them.”

Despite repeated attempts, MC commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal was not available for comments.