Patna: Patna’s transport authorities have unveiled a sweeping plan to tackle chronic congestion, including a ban on auto-rickshaws and e-rickshaws registered outside the district and the introduction of a colour-coded zoning system across the city.
The move, announced by the state transport department, will revoke permissions previously granted to vehicles from neighbouring districts to operate within the capital. Officials say the measure is aimed at reducing pressure on roads under the jurisdictions of the Patna Municipal Corporation, Danapur, Khagaul and Phulwari Sharif.
Under the new rules, only vehicles registered in Patna will be allowed to operate within city limits. Autos and e-rickshaws entering from other districts to pick up passengers will be required to return to their home regions. Authorities estimate that around 10,000 such vehicles will be removed from the roads, a step expected to ease congestion and lower pollution levels.
The plan also introduces a zone-based system designed to regulate movement and reduce traffic chaos. The city will be divided into three colour-coded zones – yellow, green and blue – each with designated routes and route codes. Drivers will be restricted to operating within their assigned zones and will not be permitted to deviate from specified routes.
Key areas such as Raja Bazar, Ashiana, Saguna Mor and Danapur fall within the yellow zone, while the green zone includes major corridors such as Gandhi Maidan, Ashok Rajpath, Patna City, Kankarbagh and ISBT Bairiya. The blue zone will cover Gardanibagh, Anisabad, Phulwari Sharif and Khagaul. Authorities have also capped the number of vehicles allowed in each zone, with the Gandhi Maidan–Patna City route receiving the highest allocation of permits.
To support the transition, the department plans to issue 25,000 new permits through an online portal, a significant increase from the 14,000 permits granted in 2014. Officials say the system will make it easier for passengers to identify routes through colour-coded vehicles, while also addressing illegal parking and disputes between drivers.
Rajkumar, secretary of the transport department, said the reforms were intended to bring order to the city’s traffic system and improve commuter convenience. Drivers operating without permits or outside their designated zones will face penalties, including fines and possible vehicle seizure.
