Nagpur traffic police have ordered stricter enforcement against e-rickshaws operating on 12 prohibited roads, citing existing restrictions imposed by the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) and warning violators of action. The move comes as the vehicles continue to operate on major corridors despite restrictions first imposed in 2016 and reiterated in 2022.
Deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Aditya Mirkhelkar said the latest directive was intended to enforce the existing RTA orders and did not constitute a fresh ban. He said action would be taken against e-rickshaw drivers found violating the restrictions.
The prohibited routes include Sitabuldi to Wadi, Sitabuldi to CA Road, Sitabuldi to Kamptee Road and Sitabuldi to Chhatrapati Chowk via Wardha Road. The entire Inner Ring Road is also covered by the restrictions, along with routes from Sitabuldi to Hingna, Katol Naka, Saoner, Nandanvan, Bhandara, Hudkeshwar and Besa.
E-rickshaws are additionally barred from operating on national and state highways. The restricted corridors connect Sitabuldi, Nagpur’s commercial centre, with residential areas and the city’s outer neighbourhoods. Several of the roads are key arterial links, making compliance relevant to traffic movement beyond the immediate e-rickshaw stops.
The RTA is headed by the district collector, while enforcement responsibility involves the Regional Transport Office and traffic police. The continued operation of e-rickshaws on prohibited roads has raised questions about coordination between the two enforcement agencies. The restrictions were not new, but their implementation had remained inconsistent, according to the report.
The renewed enforcement order comes ahead of an expected increase in traffic volumes during festive shopping. Authorities have warned that e-rickshaws using busy corridors could add to congestion, particularly when they stop to pick up or drop passengers outside designated locations.
Raj Pawar, a resident of Zingabai Takli, said the problem extended beyond e-rickshaws entering restricted roads. He said the vehicles also stopped at various points to board and drop passengers, forcing other motorists to slow down or manoeuvre around them and disrupting traffic flow.
The traffic police’s next step is to act against e-rickshaws found operating on the 12 restricted routes and on national and state highways. The enforcement will determine whether the existing RTA restrictions are implemented consistently across Nagpur’s major roads.
