Patna: Jugaad vehicles – improvised, unregistered transport contraptions commonly seen across Bihar – will no longer be allowed on the state’s roads following an order of the Patna high court, the state government has said.
The transport minister, Shrawon Kumar, said the high court, acting on directions from the Supreme Court, had ordered a complete ban on such vehicles. He has instructed all district transport officers to launch enforcement drives in their respective districts and to take action against jugaad vehicles and their drivers on national and state highways as well as within urban areas.
Officials have been directed to proceed under the relevant provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, Kumar said, adding that operating such vehicles is a punishable offence.
Jugaad vehicles are typically assembled by combining diesel pump sets with motorcycle handlebars and the bodies of goods rickshaws or carts. According to the transport department, these vehicles are not registered and do not carry mandatory permits, insurance, fitness certificates or pollution control clearances.
Kumar said that in the event of an accident involving a jugaad vehicle, neither victims nor vehicle owners are eligible for compensation, as the vehicles fall outside the legal framework. He also cited pollution and road safety concerns, noting that the vehicles are often operated openly in violation of traffic rules, causing inconvenience to the public.
The minister acknowledged that the ban could affect livelihoods but said alternative options were available. Those impacted could apply to purchase authorised vehicles under the chief minister’s block transport scheme or the village transport scheme, both of which provide subsidies to support self-employment, he said.
