Administration Halts Illegal Vehicle Operations in Rishikesh, India
The Rishikesh Deluxe Taxi Maxi Owners Association has voiced strong opposition to the illegal operation of vehicles in the area. On Saturday, they submitted a memorandum to the District Magistrate via the Sub-Divisional Magistrate at the tehsil office, demanding action against unauthorized vehicles.
The association highlighted that out-of-state vehicles, particularly from Haryana, Punjab, and Delhi, are continuously operating illegally in Rishikesh, affecting the livelihoods of local operators. They specifically pointed to the illegal operation of vehicles near ISBT and called for action against unauthorized buses running to Delhi from Nataraj Chowk and Gaura Devi Chowk.
In the past, protests had successfully stopped these buses, which were relocated to Nepali Farm. However, the association noted that these buses have recently resumed operations from their original locations, causing significant losses to both local transport operators and the Uttarakhand Transport Corporation. They urged authorities to relocate these buses back to Nepali Farm to curb illegal operations.
Present at the event were the association’s President Hemant Dang, Acting President Arpit Rajput, along with members Sachin, Sujeet Raizada, Somendra Basu, Tanveer Singh, Atul Tyagi, Ankit Rajput, and others.
A correspondent for Transport Chronicle spoke to some drivers in Uttrakhand. They also raised concerns about taxicab drivers operating illegally in tourist areas of Uttrakhand. Cars with private number plates operate unrestricted in the tourist areas doing commercial duties. Car-sharing apps like Bla Bla Car further escalate the issue by helping these non-commercial drivers get easy business from tourists and travelers.
“Our association has raised this issue with the Govt. multiple times but we have not been successful in finding a solution to this problem,” said one of them at the Chamoli bus stand.
