Patna: The Bihar government has moved to tighten regulation of auto-rickshaws and e-rickshaws across the state, with district administrations set to decide routes, stopping points and operational codes in an effort to ease urban traffic congestion.
Under new guidelines issued by the state Transport Department, routes will be finalised at headquarters level and implemented through committees chaired by each district magistrate. These committees will determine how many autos and e-rickshaws are permitted on individual roads and fix the distance between designated stops. The system will be overseen by divisional commissioners.
Each district committee will comprise the district magistrate, the municipal commissioner, traffic police representatives and the district transport officer. Officials will assess traffic density on city roads before allocating vehicle numbers on specific routes. Autos and e-rickshaws will be assigned colour codes – red, yellow, blue and green – linked to their approved routes.
Authorities have warned that vehicles must strictly adhere to the routes allotted to them. Any deviation will invite penalties, including seizure of the vehicle and action against the driver.
The decision follows a review meeting chaired by Bihar’s transport secretary, Raj Kumar, where officials identified the unregulated movement of autos and e-rickshaws as a major contributor to traffic jams in cities. While auto-rickshaws operate under permits, many fail to follow prescribed rules, officials said. E-rickshaws, meanwhile, do not require permits, leading to their concentration on certain roads and worsening congestion.
As part of the state’s road safety month, auto-rickshaw drivers will also be enlisted to spread awareness about traffic rules and safe driving practices. Members of the Auto Men’s Union are scheduled to hold an awareness drive at GPO Golambar on Sunday at 11am, in coordination with the transport department’s road safety council.
