UP Government Seeks Central Authority to Regulate E-Rickshaw Sales and Registration to Curb Traffic Congestion

The Uttar Pradesh government has initiated a major administrative push to tackle severe urban traffic congestion and widespread road encroachment caused by the exponential growth of e-rickshaws. Acting in response to strict judicial observations from the judiciary, the state administration has formally approached the central government, requesting statutory authority to regulate the sale, manufacturing, and registration of e-rickshaws across urban centers. The legislative move follows scathing remarks from the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court, which emphasized that state authorities cannot remain passive observers while unregulated battery-operated vehicles choke major metropolitan thoroughfares like Lucknow, Kanpur, and Varanasi.Committee Recommendations and Legal Hurdles Under the Motor Vehicles ActFollowing the High Court's intervention, the Transport Department constituted a specialized five-member committee headed by Additional Transport Commissioner for Revenue Rajendra Kumar Vishwakarma, alongside senior officials including Ajay Yadav, Prabhat Pandey, Kamal Joshi, and Shahpar Kidwai. The committee's comprehensive report highlighted a fundamental legal bottleneck: under the existing framework of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, state governments lack the direct legal jurisdiction to restrict the sale or cap the registration of specific vehicle categories. To overcome this limitation, Transport Commissioner Ashutosh Niranjan formally wrote to the Secretary of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, urging an immediate amendment to Section 65 of the Act to empower states with regulatory control.High Court Directives and Strict Enforcement MeasuresThe policy overhaul stems from a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by petitioner Suraj Singh Bisen regarding systemic traffic mismanagement in the state capital. On August 21, a division bench comprising Justice Alok Mathur and Justice Amitabh Kumar Rai delivered strict reprimands, directing the state to formulate proactive policies rather than making excuses regarding central jurisdiction. Alongside pursuing national legislative amendments, the Transport Department has instructed the Lucknow Police Commissioner and regional enforcement wings to crack down on unauthorized, unfit, and illegal e-rickshaws currently operating without proper documentation. If approved, the proposed central amendments will establish a nationwide legal precedent, enabling state governments to curb congestion and streamline urban mobility.