Siliguri, 01st June: The Traffic Department of Siliguri Metropolitan Police on Monday took a major step to reduce traffic congestion in the city by banning e-rickshaw movement on main roads.
Announcements regarding the new restriction were made through miking from Monday morning, informing that e-rickshaws would no longer be allowed to operate on the city’s principal roads. Police personnel were also deployed to enforce the directive and were seen diverting e-rickshaws attempting to enter the main roads.
Following the move, e-rickshaw drivers staged protests in the Mallaguri area along Hill Cart Road. A large number of drivers gathered and expressed anger over the sudden implementation of the rule.
The protesting drivers alleged that the restriction would severely affect their livelihood, as operating only through narrow lanes and service roads would not be sufficient to sustain their daily income.
According to the drivers, they had not faced such restrictions during the previous government, and the new regulation has now pushed their livelihood into uncertainty.