Chandigarh: 830 challans issued against auto-rickshaws in 7 months
There are about 6,000 auto-rickshaws registered locally in Chandigarh, and nearly 1,000 are permitted from Punjab and Haryana
An average of four challans per day were issued to passenger auto-rickshaws for reckless driving, overcrowding, and illegal parking in the first seven months of the current financial year. This is higher than the daily average recorded over the past three years.
There are about 6,000 auto-rickshaws registered locally in Chandigarh, and nearly 1,000 are permitted from Punjab and Haryana. While the UT administration has curbed speeding through an automatic challaning system, the State Transport Authority (STA) has now stepped up action against errant auto-rickshaw drivers.
Records reveal that auto-rickshaws are the most frequent violators of traffic rules, surpassing buses and maxi-cabs. Till October 31 of the current financial year, the STA had issued 830 challans to passenger autos alone. The total number of challans issued so far since 2023–24 stands at 2,963. “We will soon start a special drive to check traffic violations by autos,” said STA secretary Amit Kumar.
The crackdown intensified after a tragic accident in September 2023, when a dentist and his companion were killed near the Sector 16/17 Chowk. The auto-rickshaw involved in the crash, carrying eight passengers, overturned after hitting the two cyclists who were returning from their morning ride to Sukhna Lake. Following the incident, the STA launched an aggressive enforcement campaign.
In 2023–24, 1,751 challans were issued to vehicles, a number that rose by almost 15% to 2,011 in 2024–25. This fiscal year (2025–26), the tally is expected to exceed 4,000 challans, generating nearly ₹4 crore in revenue. As of October 31, 2,287 new vehicles had been registered with the STA.
To curb auto-rickshaw traffic in the city, the UT administration is set to establish 12 designated points along Madhya Marg where auto-rickshaws will be permitted to pick up and drop off passengers. The UT engineering department has issued a tender for the project, which will cover the stretch from Transport Chowk to PGIMER Chowk, spanning 12 sectors of the city. The work is expected to be completed within two months, with an estimated expenditure of around ₹13 lakh.
“We are implementing this as a pilot project. The issue was raised multiple times in road safety committee meetings that auto-rickshaws frequently halt anywhere to pick up and drop off passengers, often leading to serious accidents,” said UT chief engineer CB Ojha.
