Srinagar- Scores of E-Rickshaw drivers protested outside the office of Regional Transport Officer against what they called ‘not allowing them to ply from Jehangir Chowk to Dalgate’ on Monday.
The E-Rickshaw drivers said that they have been plying on the Jehangir Chowk to Dalgate route for the last six months. However, they said the authorities are not allowing them to ply on the route anymore.
Drivers said their vehicles have been seized and fined for plying through the city centre.
“We were fined for plying on the Jehangir Chowk- Dalgate route and our e-rickshaws were seized as well. We are being told to take alternate routes and ply through narrow lanes” said a driver.
Drivers further said that this mode of transportation is non-polluting and they carry multiple passengers in one go.
“We fail to understand why authorities are irked by our presence” said a driver on anonymity.
“We have purchased these e rickshaws on heavy loans, some of us have even sold jewellery of our spouses and we are poor people”
They called on the administration to ply them on the Jehangir Chowk- Dalgate route.
However, the authorities say the E- Rickshaw drivers have been violating traffic norms and regulations.
Speaking to Kashmir Observer, SSP Traffic Srinagar Muzaffar Ahmad Shah said that the E-rickshaw drivers have been plying in violation of the route permits.
“The drivers do not ply on the designated routes and the number of the E rickshaws has increased over the period of time” Muzaffar said.
“They were not supposed to ply on M.A. road in the first place. So action was initiated against them” he added.
However, despite repeated attempts RTO Kashmir did not respond to repeated calls from the reporter.
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