Tripura Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury announced on Thursday that new registrations of three-wheelers are prohibited within the Agartala Municipal Corporation area, citing the welfare of city residents as the primary concern.
According to Chowdhury, this measure was necessary to alleviate severe traffic congestion that has hindered vehicle movement in the capital city of the North Eastern state.
“We don’t want to make any further comment on this. Whatever decision is taken, it is in the public interest. A gazette notification is also being issued in this regard. The city areas witness huge congestion which often leads to chaos in the Agartala Municipal Corporation areas. This is our common observation and we can’t let it continue for an indefinite period of time. Keeping that in view and considering the overall public interest, we have taken this initiative,” ANI quoted the Minister.
Responding to criticism from opposition parties and transport worker unions, Chowdhury stated, “I don’t know which party has spoken what but the fact remains none of the two opposition parties have any constructive issues left. They always think destructive and attempt to show all the good works of the government in a negative light. We want to make an appeal to the public not to get misguided by the unfounded statements of the opposition parties and let the flow of development carry forward.”
The Minister clarified that the ban strictly applies to new registrations within the Agartala Municipal Corporation area and does not restrict the sale of three-wheelers outside this jurisdiction.
“The ban is only on registration. The ban will be enforced only in the areas that fall under the jurisdiction of Agartala Municipal Corporation. There is no ban on the sale of three-wheelers. The businessmen have no bar on selling e-carts, auto-rickshaws, e-rickshaws, and kinds of three-wheelers. Only in the city areas have we banned new registration and in the days to come, we shall take many more such decisions in the public interest,” said the minister.