Noida: Overloaded e-rickshaw fined ₹22k after video goes viral

Police identified the e-rickshaw through its registration number and issued a challan for dangerous driving and disobedience of official directions of the Motor Vehicles Act

Noida: The Noida traffic police fined an e-rickshaw for ₹22,500 after a video purportedly showing it dangerously overloaded with goods surfaced on social media, said traffic police, adding that it related to a place near Parthala Chowk on the Faridabad Noida Ghaziabad (FNG) Expressway, officials said on Monday.

According to the transport department, there are nearly 20,000 e-rickshaws registered in the district. These e-rickshaws often serve as a lifeline for last-mile connectivity in the absence of a dedicated city bus service. (Representational image)

In the 15-second video that went viral on social media, a passerby is heard remarking that the e-rickshaw resembled a mini truck due to the excessive and haphazardly loaded goods.

HT, however, could not verify the video clip’s authenticity.

“We have identified the e-rickshaw through its registration number and issued a challan under Section 184 (dangerous driving) and Section 179(1) (disobedience of official directions) of the Motor Vehicles Act,” said Noida’s deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Lakhan Singh Yadav

According to the transport department, there are nearly 20,000 e-rickshaws registered in the district. These e-rickshaws often serve as a lifeline for last-mile connectivity in the absence of a dedicated city bus service.

Over 24,000 challans have been issued and nearly 2,100 e-rickshaws seized for various infractions between January and May this year.

“This is reckless and dangerous. E-rickshaws have become a menace on city roads,” said a social media user on X.

However, other people also expressed concern over the severity of the fine. “The driver probably can’t afford to pay such a high penalty. A warning and a smaller fine would have sufficed,” said another user Sanjay Kumar.