Chandigarh: Once championed as the green, affordable answer to Chandigarh’s public transport gaps, the city’s e-rickshaw fleet has instead become a primary driver of gridlock and safety concerns on major arterial routes.
As registrations plunge, operators flee fragile fleets for sturdier e-autos.Despite explicit bans prohibiting the slow-moving vehicles from main thoroughfares, including Madhya Marg and Dakshin Marg, e-rickshaws continue to dominate these high-speed corridors. The result is a growing sense of disorder at major intersections, particularly during peak commuting hours.Regulatory breakdownUnder current administration guidelines, e-rickshaws are restricted from V-1 (major connecting routes), V-2 (arterial roads), and V-7 (pedestrian and bicycle paths).
They are intended to provide “last-mile” connectivity on smaller internal roads.However, the reality on the ground is starkly different. “In peak traffic hours, nearly all junctions and traffic light points are jammed because of e-rickshaws,” said Abhishek Mehta, a govt employee who commutes daily from Panchkula. “Neither the administration nor the police seem keen on enforcing the rules they set.” The vehicles are spotted bypassing traffic frequently by driving on bicycle tracks and pedestrian walkways, further endangering non-motorised commuters.Staffing shortages hinder enforcementThe State Transport Authority (STA) has pointed to a lack of resources as the reason for the lapse in oversight. A senior Union Territory (UT) official noted that the STA has “very limited staff” to issue citations and largely relies on the traffic police to manage the violations.While e-rickshaws do not require the same permits as traditional auto-rickshaws, they must be registered as commercial vehicles.
Although a dedicated registration series (CH01TE) and driver uniforms were introduced in 2019 to professionalise the sector, the surge in numbers has outpaced the city’s ability to manage them.Robust alternativeRecent data suggests the e-rickshaw boom may be cooling as operators pivot toward more robust alternatives. Registration numbers for e-rickshaws plummeted from 2,268 in 2023 to just 925 in 2025. Officials attribute this decline to the poor build quality of many e-rickshaws, which are often assembled locally. In contrast, e-autos — which are sturdier and backed by established manufacturers — are seeing a steady rise in popularity.“Operators realised that e-rickshaws are often not safe or durable,” a UT official said. “They are moving toward e-autos, which offer better quality and after-sales supported.
