Rickshaws and their battery-operated avatar, e-rickshaws – two of the most important modes of transport inside Dwarka -- have also become a major cause of nuisance in the city.
Rickshawpullers waiting for passengers at the entrance of major markets create chaos, causing traffic jams on the main road and in front of the markets. In the evening and at weekends, the situation goes from bad to worse.
A resident of Shubham Apartments, Sector 12, MP Singh, says, “The rickshaws are parked at the entrance of the markets and the approach roads to the societies. They create so much chaos that you cannot even walk freely on the road. Parking of vehicles has become an enormously difficult task. And these rickshaws have turned the situation even more chaotic in front of markets in Sector 4 and Sector 12.”
In front of the Sector 6 Central Market, the situation is just as bad. From the signal of Sector 6 and Sector 10 till the end of Sector 6 market, rickshaws almost always take the wrong side to follow the road and avoid signals. A resident of Sector 10, Smita Shukla, feels, “Without rickshaws, daily commute is impossible for common people like us. But there must be some regulation. Proper stands for them are required as well. In front of the markets, they often park on the main road and rush for passengers – invariably following the wrong lane and the wrong side. They should be provided proper stands near market areas of Sectors 6 and 10 and at Ashirwad Chowk.”
In fact, shop owners at Sector 6 MLU Market said they had to take the help of guards and traffic police to prevent the rickshaws from parking on the road near the market premises. However, they also acknowledge the fact that these, indeed, are the best option for travelling short distances in Dwarka.
A traffic official said, “We always try to control the chaos in the market areas, especially in the evening. We also ask the rickshawpullers to not follow the wrong lane. There is no provision for challans for them, but commuters can play a big role in educating them. They must force the rickshaws to not take the wrong lane and to not park in the middle of the road or at the market entrance. We request the shop owners, the RWAs and the commuters to take a lead in solving this menace.”
