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Despite app ban, mid-ride Bluetooth blues persist for e-rickshaw drivers
The unusual technical problem has disrupted the city’s e-rickshaw network. Operators say that sudden shutdowns are forcing e-rickshaws to stop abruptly in the middle of roads, affecting drivers, passengers and traffic movement. Several videos purportedly showing such incidents have also circulated online.
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Despite the Union government’s move to block battery management apps, e-rickshaw operators in the state capital allege that Bluetooth-enabled batteries are still being remotely switched off, forcing vehicles to come to a sudden halt on busy roads.
The unusual technical problem has disrupted the city’s e-rickshaw network. Operators say that sudden shutdowns are forcing e-rickshaws to stop abruptly in the middle of roads, affecting drivers, passengers and traffic movement. Several videos purportedly showing such incidents have also circulated online.
The Union government on July 3 directed that battery management apps be blocked after users discovered they could remotely switch off e-rickshaw batteries even while the vehicles were carrying passengers.
The E-rickshaw Chalak Kalyan Samiti claims it has received nearly 5,000 complaints over the past two weeks, with fresh cases reported as recently as Thursday. The matter has now reached the district administration. The association told HT that it submitted a representation to the district magistrate on July 4, which was officially received on July 7. It now plans to approach Lucknow Police, seeking an investigation into the alleged misuse of the battery technology and action against those responsible.
According to the association’s president, Mayank Srivastava, the problem has not been fully resolved despite the government’s move to block the apps. “Those perpetrators who still have the app installed on their mobile phones, it is still working. A complaint was received yesterday (Thursday) as well and, by three days ago, around 5,000 complaints had been received,” he said.
The association’s district president, Abhishek Singh, said Lucknow has over one lakh e-rickshaws, many of which use Bluetooth-enabled battery management systems. He added that the battery manufacturer had started removing the Bluetooth feature from batteries to prevent further misuse.
In its representation to the district magistrate, the Samiti alleged that the apps could be misused by criminals, particularly on isolated stretches, and extort money from drivers to restore battery function. The association also expressed concern over the safety of women, who constitute a large share of daily e-rickshaw commuters.
Prabhat Pandey, RTO (enforcement), said no official complaint to his effect has been received. “If we get any complaint, it will be looked into,” he added.
Joint commissioner of police (law and order) Babloo Kumar said the matter is serious, but no complaints have been received so far.
Drivers recount mid-road breakdowns, income loss
HT spoke to multiple e-rickshaw drivers to understand the problems they are facing. They said the monsoon has worsened the situation, with traffic congestion and waterlogging already making commuting difficult.
“The vehicle has to be towed to the dealer, who restores the system by resetting the Bluetooth connection. We have to pay ₹200 to the technician to restart the battery, resulting in loss of income and inconvenience to passengers,” said Sandeep Kumar, a Barabanki resident who drives an e-rickshaw in Lucknow.
Another driver, Kalim, who uses his e-rickshaw to supply water cans, said, “There were 50 water cans loaded in my vehicle for delivery to different housing societies when my e-rickshaw suddenly stopped near Ashiana. I had to unload all the cans and bring a technician. Sudden breakdowns on busy roads not only cause traffic snarls but also affect our livelihood.”
WHAT EXPERTS SAY
Technical experts say the exact cause of the shutdowns can only be established after examining the affected batteries to determine whether the incidents are linked to unauthorised Bluetooth access, software vulnerabilities or another technical fault.
Jay Hind Gupta, head engineer at Trontek Battery for the Lucknow region, said the company had received thousands of complaints. “The modern lithium-ion batteries fitted in many e-rickshaws are equipped with Bluetooth connectivity and embedded chips that allow authorised dealers to monitor battery health, charging cycles, warranty status and other technical parameters,” he said.
“When the battery is disabled, the e-rickshaw comes to a complete halt and cannot be restarted by the driver,” Gupta added.
He said the company was working to resolve the issue. “Our entire team is working on it. We have launched an app to disable and modify the password, and we have been instructed to remove the Bluetooth feature from the batteries,” he said.
