Ground Report: E-rickshaws, autos choke road near GTB Nagar Metro station

Amidst blazing horns and vituperative hurled by commuters, Ram Ajor Sharma, who runs a footwear store near GTB Nagar Metro station, expresses frustration over the blocked view of his shop.

Owing to irregular parking of e-rickshaws navigating near the GTB Nagar Metro station, one of North Delhi’s busiest transit points, commuters are facing a harrowing experience.

“Due to e-rickshaws and autos blocking the road near the Metro station, many customers can’t even reach my shop, and we often end up facing traffic jam-like situations,” says Sharma.

Haphazard parking of e-rickshaws and autos outside the Metro station gate creates bottlenecks and traffic jams. Commuters stepping out of the Metro station often find themselves wading through a maze of rickshaws, autos and impatient motorists honking to move forward.

Shopkeepers lament that the irregular operation of e-rickshaws not only impacts their business but also leads to accidents.

“These e-rickshaws and autos crowding the road near the GTB Nagar Metro station not only drive customers away from my shop but also led to several accidents due to the chaos,” said Ajay Saluja, who has been running his store in the area for a decade.

Moreover, the stretch near the Metro station abounds with coaching centres and roadside eateries, which attract a large number of visitors daily, leading to congestion.

For regular travellers, it is a safety concern as well as inconvenience.

Rashmi Yadav, a student who lives in a rented apartment near the Metro station, says she dreads the day when she would meet with an accident due to recklessly driven e-rickshaws. “As a regular commuter from my rented apartment to the Metro station, I’ve seen these e-rickshaw and auto drivers stopping abruptly in the middle of the road for passengers, causing traffic disruptions and often leading to accidents,” she said.

Even the traffic police face challenges in managing the traffic in the area.

Despite repeated enforcement drives, the police say the surge in demand for last-mile connectivity from Metro stations leads to proliferation of irregular rickshaws. “We are actively working to manage the situation and find a solution that works for everyone. In the past few days, we have even seized some e-rickshaws causing chaos on the road. Our aim is to ensure smooth traffic flow and safety for both commuters and pedestrians,” a traffic police official told The Tribune.

Commuters demand that the issue is not unique to GTB Nagar as several areas located in close proximity to Metro stations in Delhi face similar bottlenecks. A slew of measures they suggest include designated stands for e-rickshaws and autos at a slight distance from the main station, stricter enforcement of no-parking zones and deployment of traffic marshals during peak hours.