Srinagar, Nov 20 : The sudden ban on e-rickshaw movement along the crucial Kothibagh–Residency Road corridor has severely disrupted daily travel for thousands of students and commuters, with no alternative transport facilities put in place by the authorities.
Students from several major institutions said the decision has left them stranded, delayed, and forced to walk long distances due to the negligible government bus service.
Students from Government College for Women, College of Education, SP College, SP Higher Secondary, Kothibagh Higher Secondary, Biscoe, and Mallinson said the ban has hit them the hardest.
A group of students told news agency–Kashmir News Corner KNC, “These two roads carry thousands of students every morning. How are we supposed to reach on time? They haven’t increased buses, nor have they provided any alternative. These roads belong to poor people as much as they belong to rich,” they said. “E-rickshaws are not comfort, they are our need.”
“This decision is beyond logic,” said a teacher, Rouf Bhat. “If inconvenience to VIPs is unacceptable, why should inconvenience to common people be ignored? Have they provided any alternative transport? No. The government bus service is already negligible. Thousands of students are suffering because of an order taken without considering ground reality.”
Commuters told KNC, that public buses were already overflowing during peak hours, leaving scores of people stranded on Thursday morning. They said e-rickshaws had become the only dependable option, particularly for female students and working women.
A group of regular travellers said e-rickshaws had become essential. “Public buses arrive fully packed and don’t stop. E-autos were bridging that gap. Their sudden removal has paralyzed our travel,” they said.
Government employees heading toward Lal Chowk said they had to walk long stretches after failing to board overcrowded buses. “There is no alternate arrangement. Removing e-rickshaws without increasing bus frequency has created chaos,” said Ghulam Hassan, a government employee.
Earlier, dozens of e-rickshaw drivers held a protest at Jehangir Chowk, demanding a rollback of the ban, saying the order has jeopardized their livelihood while leaving thousands of passengers stranded.
Pedestrians passing through the area said the administration had failed to assess ground realities. “We suffered because these autos were stopped without warning. Public inconvenience should matter,” said one commuter.
According to an order issued by RTO Kashmir on November 17, “M.A. Road (Jehangir Chowk to J&K Bank HQ) and Residency Road (Hari Singh High Street to J&K Bank HQ) are declared “No E-Rickshaw Zones” with immediate effect, until further orders.” The order further states that violations will be dealt with under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
Commuters have appealed to the administration to reconsider the decision, saying it disproportionately affects students, teachers, employees, and thousands of daily travellers who depend on e-rickshaws due to inadequate public transport facilities.
Meanwhile, repeated attempts by this correspondent to contact the Transport Department, RTO Kashmir, and the Transport Commissioner proved unsuccessful, as officials did not respond to multiple calls and messages.—(KNC)
