Delhi govt to regulate rickshaws in packed Chandni Chowk

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi will cap the number of cycle rickshaws plying on the 1.3-kilometre redeveloped stretch of Chandni Chowk at 400, and fit radio tags on them to regulate their movement in a bid to ensure that pedestrians do not face inconvenience, officials aware of the matter said.

According to traders, the number of cycle rickshaws in the area has mushroomed to over 1000, causing congestion on the stretch. The redeveloped stretch between Red Fort and Fatehpuri Masjid has been converted into a pedestrian-only zone between 9am and 9pm. No motorised vehicle is allowed there, but cycle rickshaws may ply on the stretch.

Officials said that the additional commissioner in the hackney carriage department last week held a meeting in the wake of the G-20 summit next year. They added that the City Sadar Paharganj zone administration has been asked to compile record of the 400 rickshaws that will be marked with Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) tags, an MCD official said.

Sanjay Bhargav, president of Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapar Mandal, attended the MCD meeting. He said that the mushrooming growth of cycle rickshaws has defeated the objective of pedestrianising the stretch between the Red Fort and Fatehpuri Masjid.

“On January 4, a meeting was held to discuss G-20 summit related preparations, and it was decided that only 400 rickshaws, as decided in 2021 at the time of redevelopment, will be allowed to operate. Illegal rickshaws will be controlled using RFID tags. These tags will be read using hand held devices and installing boom barrier entry points,” Bhargava said.

He added that IIT-Delhi was roped in by the Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC) — the nodal agency to execute the redevelopment of the heritage market — for making a new design for rickshaws plying on the stretch. “The design has been approved but there no time to convert all the 400 rickshaws in such a short span of time.It may be done later,” he added.

An MCD official said IIT-Delhi had finalised the new design of rickshaws, and a government sub-committee had approved it on August 18, 2021 but it could not be implemented due to Covid pandemic and resistance from the stakeholders. “For the time being, the additional commissioner has directed the deputy commissioner of the zone covering the Walled City to send record of 400 rickshaws. This information will be fed into the RFID chips. The RFID tag is to be provided to legitimate cycle rickshaws so that the illegal ones can be stopped. The zonal administration will also issue a request for proposal in this regard,” the official added.

Bhargava said that the illegal rickshaws under the current system are using duplicate numbers to operate in the region.