Loader rickshaws blatantly violating technical standards

Owners put their lives at risk by operating faulty freight transport to make a living

LAHORE:

Often the main culprits in traffic accidents, loader rickshaws in Punjab pose a significant threat to the lives of those operating them and others who uncomfortably share the road with them.

Rickshaw trolleys have seen an upsurge on Punjab’s roads, especially its capital, Lahore, in the past few years. However, many of the loader rickshaws, commonly used as freight transport, plying across the province are unapproved, substandard, and illegal - due to their poor build quality and non-compliance with technical requirements, the rickshaws contribute to traffic accidents and are a source of nuisance for other motorists.

As per information gathered by The Express Tribune, the first step for manufacturing any transport vehicle is to get it approved by the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control; an approval of its technical standards from the Pakistan Engineering Council Board is required as well.

Qasim Imam, a senior official at Punjab Vehicle Inspection and Certification System (VICS), a company that issues fitness certificates for the rickshaws, said that the provincial transport department has allowed only two companies to make loader rickshaws, and VICS only issue certificates to rickshaws made by the two companies.

However, The Express Tribune learnt that 15 different brands of loader rickshaws are being sold in the market.An investigation by The Express Tribune found that apart from the two approved manufacturing companies, the technical standards in rickshaws made by the other 13 companies are being blatantly violated. Moreover, most of the freight transport being manufactured by the 13 companies is ‘double frame’ when the approved standard for loader rickshaws is ‘single frame’ - which means that both the parts of the motorcycle and the trolley must be attached to the same frame from below. Furthermore, according to the approved standard, a 100 cc to 300 cc engine motorbike is prescribed for the loader cushion and is also required to have a ‘back gear.’ However, this standard is being violated as well; presently loader rickshaws are being used in conjunction with ordinary 70 cc motorcycles which do not have a ‘back gear.’

Qamar Al-Hassan, Director at the Excise Department, when inquired about the blatant violations of safety standards, said that according to the law, they only register loader rickshaws which VICS has issued fitness certificates for. Responding to a question regarding the department’s lack of action against people who have modified their personal motorcycles and converted them into loader rickshaws, Qamar, said: “Those who register a normal motorcycle and later turn it into a loader rickshaw do not fall within our jurisdiction. Someone should take action against them.”

The Express Tribune spoke to a member of the Punjab Cabinet for the provincial government position on the issue and was told that stringent action was currently not possible against violators. The member, who requested anonymity, stated: “We are aware that there are severe violations concerning loader rickshaws but we are not taking action as inflation is very high and people have to make ends meet. In such a situation, if rigorous action is taken against these poor people, there will be a strong public reaction against the government.

In a city like Lahore, thousands of loader rickshaw owners can make the situation worse by protesting on the streets. Therefore, we have to tread carefully as far as enforcement is concerned.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 24^th, 2022.