Bhopal, July 23 Bhopal District Collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh's order banning E-rickshaws in some selected routes in the city sparked a controversy as the opposition Congress called it an "arbitrary" decision, asserting that it would affect the livelihood of hundreds of families.
The collector had issued an order banning E-rickshaws in two phases following multiple rounds of discussion with senior administrative officials and Lok Sabha MP Alok Sharma.
He issued an order to ban the use of E-rickshaws to ferry school children due to safety reasons on July 19. Two days later, he also ordered to ban the operation of E-rickshaws on some selected routes in the city. The directives issued by the Bhopal district administration came into effect from Monday; however, several E-rickshaws were spotted ferrying school children in several parts of the city till Wednesday.
On Wednesday, around 500 E-rickshaw operators gathered at a busy square in the city and staged a protest against the ban on E-rickshaws. However, they accepted a ban on the use of E-rickshaws ferrying school children.
Meanwhile, the Congress workers also joined the protest, extending support to E-rickshaw operators.
The opposition warned of a major protest if the district administration's order was not withdrawn soon.
Senior Congress leader and former minister P. C. Sharma also joined the protest. He said that restricted routes should be opened for E-rickshaws.
"Decision to ban use of E-rickshaws to ferry school children is a welcoming step, but banning their operation in the city is arbitrary. This decision would affect the livelihood of hundreds of families in Bhopal," said Sharma.
The VIIP routes where the operation of E-rickshaws has been restricted are - Raj Bhavan to Polytechnic Crossing, Polytechnic Crossing to State Hangar, Boat Club area, and Hamidia Road.
Similarly, roads connecting from Alpana to Bhopal Talkies, Apex Bank to Roshanpura, and Link Road 1.
Further, from Board Office Square to Apex Ban, Katju Hospital Tiraaha to Rangmahal Tiraaha, Vande Mataram to 10 Number Stop,10 Number Stop to National Hospital, 10 Number Market to Roshanpura flyover.
A police official deployed at the protest site, talking to IANS, said that it has also been found that untrained and teenage drivers are driving the E-rickshaws and that too at high speed, which makes the vehicle more unsafe, particularly when being used to ferry children.
According to Bhopal police, around 12,500 E-rickshaws are currently registered in Bhopal. Though these battery-powered vehicles aren’t officially affiliated with schools, many parents are using them to send their wards to school.
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