Kokrajhar halts new e-rickshaw registrations, restricts entry into town

KOKRAJHAR, July 22, 2026 — In a decision likely to have far-reaching implications for the livelihoods of hundreds of e-rickshaw operators, the Regional Transport Authority (RTA), Kokrajhar, on Tuesday imposed an indefinite ban on the registration of new e-rickshaws within a 10-kilometre radius of Kokrajhar town and announced fresh restrictions on their movement into the municipal area.

The decision was taken at an RTA board meeting chaired by District Commissioner and RTA Chairperson Pankaj Chakravarty. According to the authority, the move aims to address worsening traffic congestion in Kokrajhar town following recommendations from the Kokrajhar Municipal Board and complaints from the public.

Under the new resolution, no new e-rickshaw will be registered with a home address falling within the notified 10-kilometre radius until further orders. The RTA has also directed that e-rickshaws operating from remote areas should not enter or ply on highways leading into Kokrajhar town, reiterating that such vehicles are intended primarily for last-mile connectivity.

The authority has instructed that e-rickshaw dealers across Assam should not process registrations for applicants residing within the notified area, effectively freezing the addition of new vehicles to the town's existing fleet.

The decision is expected to directly affect aspiring e-rickshaw owners and unemployed youth who have increasingly turned to battery-operated three-wheelers as an affordable means of self-employment. While the RTA cited traffic management as the primary reason for the restrictions, no details were immediately available on whether alternative operating zones, rehabilitation measures or livelihood support would be provided for those affected.

In another significant decision, the RTA resolved that passenger vehicles operating with permits issued by transport authorities of other districts or states without the mandatory countersignature of the competent authority will not be allowed to ply in Kokrajhar district. The District Transport Officer has been directed to initiate action against vehicles found violating permit regulations.

The latest measures are expected to trigger debate over balancing urban traffic management with the livelihood concerns of small transport operators, many of whom depend entirely on e-rickshaws for their daily income.

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