E-RICKSHAW DRIVERS OF BHAGALPUR SUCCEED IN FORCING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO REVOKE DRACONIAN CODING SYSTEM

Special Report, Bihar: Marred with excessive unemployment, a large section of the youth of Bhagalpur, have resorted to being pilots of e-rickshaw. This toiling profession has evolved from the previously rampant cycle and auto rickshaw and currently involves 15,000 people. Bhagalpur is currently a site of real estate expansion but the condition of the roads is dreadful. The side extension of the main roads is not in the agenda of the administration at a time when the number of private vehicles is on the rise. The deteriorating condition of the government transport system has added to the misery of the common people. The e-rickshaw provides an intricate transport system for connecting Nathnagar of Bhagalpur with the nearby villages. The young e-rickshaw drivers have either got their vehicles on lease or they have bought them through bank loans. Recently, in name of traffic management, the local government introduced a coding system for the e-rickshaws to restrict their route. As a result of this arrangement, their daily income of ₹ 800-1000 has gone down to about ₹ 500. To add, from this meager income, a large part went into the bank EMIs or weekly salamis of the mahajans, to the local police as compulsory bribes and also into the room rent in the slums. Severe resentment arose among the e-rickshaw drivers because of the uncertainty in running their families. Amidst such insecurity, CITU leaders Com. Pawan Fawji, Com. Arun Mishra and others organized a conference of the e-rickshaw drivers on 7^th June, 2024.

E-rickshaw conference at Bhagalpur, 7^th June 2024

Bottom: Com. Rajkumar Jha, State General Secretary, All India Transport Workers’ Federation, Bihar, Com. Pappu Yadav and Com. Dasarath Prasad.

The conference was attended by about 250 e-rickshaw drivers and it was decided that a strike would be held on 10^th June, 2024. The strike was a success. On that day, there were no e-rickshaws on the road. The strike organizers decided to meet the district magistrate. A demonstration began near Bhagalpur airport. CITU leader Com. Shivnandan Mandal organized a rally towards the DM office but they were stopped by the police near Baba Tilka Majhi Chowk. The SDO began using fowl language towards the protesters and ordered ruthless lathicharge and arrest. Many of the protesters were detained in the nearby police station for nearly 30 hours and the leaders were charged under non-bailable sections! However, owing to continuous protests and sympathy of the common people to their cause, the police were finally forced to release the leaders. The movement faced an astounding success when the DM revoked the order regarding the e-rickshaw coding system.