E-rickshaws to replace totos in Howrah

Kolkata: The Howrah City Police are taking necessary measures to streamline plying of totos, till the same are replaced by e-rickshaws in the city as it is leading to traffic congestion and causing inconvenience to common people.

The state Transport department has already taken a step to convert totos to e-rickshaws. It may be mentioned that almost a year ago it came to the notice of the city police that uncountable number of totos are operating in the city.

The total number of totos operating in Howrah city has increased in leaps and bounds within a short span of time.

Considering that it is a means of livelihood for a large section of people, the police are also taking necessary measures so that traffic congestion can be avoided till all the totos are

converted to e-rickshaws.

According to a senior police officer, they are trying to create separate area of operation for a set number of totos.

It will ensure that a particular number of the vehicles will only operate in an area and this is how traffic

congestion would be controlled as all the totos will not operate in the entire city. If everything goes as planned for the time being, stickers of different colours will be pasted on totos for easy identification of the routes

where those can ply. The policemen will be keeping a watch at the totos to ensure that they operate within the area that has been earmarked for each of them.

The senior police officer said that whatever steps they take up, the police have to solely keep the convenience of common people in mind.

There should be a means of transport from the point where they will get down from totos.

It may be recalled that a couple of years ago, registration numbers were given to totos operating in the city.

A section of toto owners bought one more similar vehicle and used the same registration number for the new one as well. It initially distracted the police as they couldn't understand that how the total number of totos was increasing when each of the them were given unique registration numbers. The police are, however, planning to take up the steps and holding a series of meetings in this connection.

Senior officials of each of the traffic guards under the Howrah Police Commissionerate have started holding meeting with toto operators in each of their jurisdiction.