Aazan Manzoor
Srinagar, Nov 20 (JKNS): After the Regional Transport Office (RTO) Kashmir declared MA Road and Residency Road as “No E-Rickshaw Zones”, people from various walks of life on Thursday expressed strong resentment, saying the abrupt ban has disrupted their daily travel and created severe inconvenience during peak hours.
Office-goers, students, government employees and residents told news agency JKNS that public buses remain overcrowded during peak time and e-rickshaws had become a dependable and safer option for many.
“The sudden ban has left us stranded on a route where buses remain packed. E-autos were reliable, especially in the morning. This decision has made daily travel extremely difficult,” said a group of commuters.
Government employees travelling toward Lal Chowk and MA Road said they were forced to walk long distances or wait for overcrowded vehicles. “E-rickshaws were filling the mobility gap. Removing them without an alternative has only created chaos,” said an employee heading to the Civil Secretariat.
A group of students walking toward MA Road told JKNS that the sudden ban left them stranded during rush hours. “We were waiting for e-autos as usual, but none were allowed to ply today. Public buses were full, and many of us couldn’t reach on time. E-rickshaws are not a luxury for students they are a necessity,” the group said, urging authorities to reconsider the decision.
Earlier in the day, scores of e-rickshaw drivers held a brief protest at Jehangir Chowk, demanding that the government revoke the ban. They told JKNS that the order has directly affected their livelihood and left thousands of daily passengers struggling to commute.
Several pedestrians passing through the protest also defended the drivers, saying the administration should have considered public convenience before issuing the ban. “These e-autos helped so many people reach offices and colleges on time. The drivers are right to protest we faced inconvenience today because they were suddenly stopped,” a commuter said.
Earlier, RTO Kashmir Qazi Irfan issued an order stating: “In pursuance of the decision taken in the Regional Transport Authority meeting held on 13-11-2025, and to ensure smooth vehicular movement, MA Road (Jehangir Chowk to J&K Bank HQ) and Residency Road (Hari Singh High Street to J&K Bank HQ) are notified as No e-Rickshaw Zones with immediate effect, until further orders.” The order was issued on 17th November but came to light today. It also warned that any violation would attract action under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
Commuters have urged the administration to review the decision, saying it disproportionately impacts daily travellers who rely on e-rickshaws as an affordable, safe and accessible mode of transport.
Meanwhile, repeated attempts by this correspondent to contact the Transport Department, RTO Kashmir and the Transport Commissioner proved unsuccessful, as repeated attempts of calls and messages to officials went unaswered. (JKNS)
