Ghaziabad: E-rickshaw drivers protest against ban on major city roads

E-rickshaw drivers are unhappy with the move as it would hamper their daily earnings, and have demanded an immediate roll-back

After the Ghaziabad traffic police banned the movement of e-rickshaws on Hapur Road from September 2 and on Ambedkar Road from September 12, a large group of e-rickshaw drivers staged an impromptu protest on Ambedkar Road on Tuesday afternoon by blocking traffic and demanding a roll-back of the ban.

The traffic police imposed restrictions on the movement of e-rickshaws from 7am to 10pm on Hapur Road stretch, which came into effect on September 2, while similar restrictions on Ambedkar Road will come into effect from September 12. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

The traffic police imposed restrictions on the movement of e-rickshaws from 7am to 10pm on Hapur Road stretch, which came into effect on September 2, while similar restrictions on Ambedkar Road will come into effect from September 12.

E-rickshaw drivers are unhappy with the move as it would hamper their daily earnings, and have demanded an immediate roll-back.

“There were meetings held in this regard by our leaders at Raj Nagar District Centre and also at Nandgram on Tuesday. When drivers were returning after attending these meetings, many stopped their vehicles on Ambedkar Road near Old Bus Stand and also at Chaudhary Morh. They staged an impromptu protest as the ban is likely to hit their livelihood. We want a roll-back of the ban,” said Satish Kumar, an e-rickshaw driver.

“No action has been taken against auto-rickshaws and they roam around freely while flouting norms. They park their vehicles on roadsides willy-nilly and that hampers traffic movement on all major roads,” Kumar said.

Drivers said the restriction on movement of e-rickshaws on Hapur Road and on Ambedkar Road will not resolve the traffic issue.

“If we ply on internal lanes, we will not get passengers and then how we will feed our families? Many drivers got their vehicles financed and they were plying without any issues on city roads. Now suddenly, we are asked to remove our vehicles from city roads on the pretext that doing so will streamline traffic. It will never happen as encroachments on city roads are rampant and most of them are made by traders. Rich people who arrive in big cars and luxury vehicles park their vehicles on the roadside and no one takes strict action against them. Only poor e-rickshaw drivers are targeted in the name of streamlining traffic,” said Rohit Kumar, another e-rickshaw driver.

According to official estimates, the city has around 14,000 e-rickshaws.

Traffic police justified the ban and said the blockade by drivers on Ambedkar Road on Tuesday was a matter of law and order and was handled by the civil police.

“The e-rickshaw drivers blocked traffic at Old Bus Stand and also near Chaudhary Morh. This resultant jam hassled commuters and police got it cleared. We have lodged an FIR against the drivers for blocking traffic and arrested seven people ,” said Rajesh Kumar, deputy commissioner of police (city).