Patna: From August 17, e-rickshaws will be barred from entering Patna Junction Golambar in a bid to ease chronic traffic congestion in the area, city traffic authorities have announced.
Traffic superintendent Aparajit Lohan said vehicles coming from Chirayatand bridge towards Mahavir Mandir will now be redirected to Karbighia station, where a parking facility can accommodate 600 auto-rickshaws.
The move sparked a protest on Thursday, with drivers blocking the Chirayatand bridge between 10am and 2pm, bringing traffic to a standstill for four hours. They dispersed after traffic police intervened.
Raj Kumar Jha, general secretary of the Bihar State Auto Drivers Association, said the ban was creating hardship for both commuters and drivers. “Autos coming from the east were suddenly stopped from going towards Patna Junction. People of the city are facing problems due to the new order,” he said.
Union representatives, including Pappu Yadav of the Patna District Auto Rickshaw Drivers Association and Arun Kumar Mishra of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions, questioned the suddenness of the ban and its practicality. They argued that passengers dropped at Karbighia would struggle to cross the railway bridge to reach Mahavir Mandir. Police on site responded that they were acting on orders.
