Guwahati, Jan 25: Once promoted as a clean and affordable answer to last-mile connectivity, e-rickshaws are increasingly being flagged as a major road safety and legal concern across Indian cities and towns. Their rapid and largely unregulated growth has turned many urban roads into potential danger zones, raising serious questions about enforcement, accountability and public safety.
Over the past few years, the number of e-rickshaws has surged exponentially, far outpacing the capacity of urban planning frameworks and traffic regulation mechanisms. From congested residential lanes to high-speed national highways, these battery-operated vehicles are now seen operating with minimal oversight, often in conditions they were never designed for.
Although meant strictly for short-distance, low-speed travel, e-rickshaws frequently share road space with buses, trucks and fast-moving traffic. Road safety experts warn that their lightweight build and structural instability, combined with the absence of formal driver training, make them particularly vulnerable in collisions. In many instances, drivers are reportedly underage or lack even basic road safety awareness.
The most alarming aspect of the issue, legal experts say, is the widespread absence of mandatory third-party insurance and valid registration. This has created what they describe as an “insurance vacuum”, leaving accident victims and their families with little or no avenue for compensation.
In cases taken to the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT), proceedings often end in frustration. With no insurance cover, there is no insurer to honour compensation orders. Vehicle owners, often from economically weaker sections, usually lack the capacity to pay damages, effectively rendering tribunal awards unenforceable.
“The tragedy is not just the accident but what follows,” said a legal expert familiar with MACT cases. “Without mandatory insurance, fitness certification and proper registration at the point of sale, victims’ families are left with paperwork instead of justice.”
The unchecked spread of e-rickshaws has also worsened conditions for pedestrians. In many towns, footpaths have disappeared, shared road spaces have grown chaotic, and walkability has deteriorated sharply. Residents complain that pedestrian safety has been sidelined by unplanned, vehicle-centric expansion.
Despite awareness within transport departments and traffic police about the risks posed by unregulated e-rickshaws, enforcement remains inconsistent. Critics argue there is an urgent need for a comprehensive policy framework that restricts these vehicles from high-speed corridors, mandates insurance and fitness certification, and ensures accountability in the event of accidents.
Safety advocates warn that the continued reluctance to formally integrate e-rickshaws into the regulated transport ecosystem is proving costly. While often treated as an informal convenience rather than a formal mode of transport, the consequences of regulatory inaction are being borne by ordinary citizens.
Until clear rules are enforced and compliance ensured, experts caution that Indian roads will remain a gamble for commuters and pedestrians alike. For families who lose breadwinners in e-rickshaw-related accidents, the promise of an eco-friendly mobility solution has instead become a lasting financial and emotional burden.
