Once hailed as a green solution for last-mile connectivity, Indore's massive fleet of approximately 10,500 private e-rickshaws has become a central source of traffic chaos in the city. Reckless driving, severe overloading, and unauthorized halts, particularly at busy hubs like Rajwada Square, are now creating persistent headaches for daily commuters and city authorities.
From Solution to Problem: The Unregulated Growth
The rapid and unregulated proliferation of these electric three-wheelers has thrown traffic management into disarray. Despite repeated interventions by successive district administrations, the core issues remain unchecked. Drivers routinely stop wherever they please, creating major bottlenecks and disrupting the smooth flow of vehicles at key junctions across Indore.
Recognizing the escalating crisis, the district administration under former collector Ilayaraja T, and later his successor Asheesh Singh, had directed the Regional Transport Office (RTO) and traffic police to devise a solution. Their initial plan involved creating 14 specific routes for e-rickshaw operations, with vehicles barred from operating outside their assigned route. This model aimed to bring structure to the network and ease congestion.
Why the Earlier Route Plan Failed
However, even after the current collector, Shivam Verma, assumed charge, this route-based plan was never implemented. Officials directly involved have confirmed that the strategy was ultimately shelved due to an acute shortage of staff needed for effective on-ground enforcement and continuous monitoring.
A Fresh Strategy: Dividing the City into Zones
Now, the administration is preparing a fresh approach to tackle the menace. RTO Pradeep Kumar Sharma informed TOI that his department is collaborating with the Traffic Police on this new strategy. "We are currently working with the Traffic Police on an alternative strategy," Sharma stated. The core of the new plan is to divide the city into various circles or zones and assign a fixed number of e-rickshaws to operate strictly within those designated areas. They will not be permitted to venture outside their assigned circle.
Collector Shivam Verma emphasized that the zone-wise plan will be implemented soon with the help of traffic police and the RTO. He also revealed broader plans for driver education. "We have also planned workshops to educate e-rickshaw drivers about traffic rules and punishments for violations. We would also inform them about the possible consequences of tampering with the vehicle's engineering, like adding an extra battery that could result in a blast, as part of our efforts to make public transport easy, safe, and accessible," Verma said.
While this new circle-based strategy aims to curb the unrestricted movement of e-rickshaws, a significant challenge remains. The administration is yet to finalize a robust system to effectively monitor and enforce the movement rules for over 10,000 vehicles operating across the city.
