The Kaliaganj Municipality is planning to provide identity cards for E-rickshaw and toto drivers of the town.
The Tto and e-Rickshaws will also be provided with Temporary Information Number (TIN) by the Municipality. Ramnibas Saha, Chairman, Kaliaganj Municipality stated: “A TIN number for Toto along with picture identity cards will make toto rides safer. We will introduce these measures very soon.”
Kaliaganj is one of the important business hubs of North Dinajpur district. Thirty four years old Kaliaganj Municipality has a population of around a lakh people.
E-Rickshaw or totos are the most used form of public transport within the town. According to Municipal authorities almost twelve hundred such e-Rickshaw and totos run in Kaliaganj.
These vehicles do not have any registration numbers. Often allegations of misbehavior with the passengers crop up. There have been allegations of eve teasing also.
To avoid such occurrences, the Kaliaganj Municipal is now planning to introduce these measures. According to municipal sources, personal details including name, address, mobile number along with Aadhaar, PAN numbers of the owner will be written in the TIN plates and identity cards.
All the drivers have to display the card while ferrying passengers.
Recently, Kaliaganj Municipality had held a meeting with the e-Rickshaw and Toto owners and drivers of the town. Representatives of Motor Vehicle, Police, toto union were also present. Toto and rickshaw owners were made aware of the plan.
Residents of Kaliaganj town have welcomed the move. Sunita Saha, a house wife said: “These measures will come handy in reporting to the authorities in case of misbehavior on the part of the toto drivers. It will also help in emergency situations.”