Bengal Transport Dept. Makes Registration of E-Rickshaws Mandatory

PTI, KOLKATA, OCT 11, 2025 :  In a move to regulate the movement of e-rickshaws, known as totos in West Bengal, the state Transport department has made vehicle registration mandatory. A transport department statement released on Saturday stated that all e-rickshaws should have a digitized temporary toto enrollment number (TTEN), and the process must be completed by November 30. The process for registering under TTEN will start on October 13.

A new portal will track registered e-rickshaws using QR codes, allowing authorities to monitor vehicle activity and prevent new illegal totos from operating. Transport Secretary Saumitra Mohan said the government is cracking down on unregistered and unsafe e-rickshaws. District magistrates have been instructed to identify and remove unregistered, battery-operated e-rickshaws manufactured by local garages.

"Many of these e-rickshaws don’t abide by the Central Motor Vehicles Act, 1989 guidelines. Hence, the district authorities will issue notices for sealing those units that don’t follow the prescribed guidelines in assembling such e-rickshaws. Only those units with a license to assemble e-rickshaws, following prescribed safety guidelines, will be allowed," he said.

The e-rickshaws that have not been assembled according to the prescribed prototype will not be allowed to ply on state and national highways, the department clarified. The local administration will prepare a list of e-rickshaws plying in the area, noting the names of the owners and stipulating their designated routes.

The owners of unapproved e-rickshaws will be given two years to replace their existing vehicle. Even those e-rickshaws sold by local firms with the approval of the dealers' body, the National Testing Agency, will not be allowed without approval from the MV authorities and High-Security Registration Plates (HSRP) fitment.

Owners of unregistered e-rickshaws must pay a Rs 1,000 fee for a six-month temporary authorization number. A smaller fee of Rs 100 will be required for subsequent renewals.

Another transport official mentioned that there are over 10 lakh e-rickshaws plying in the state. "While the e-rickshaws, known as totos, perform a great role in local transportation and serve as a source of livelihood for lakhs, there are often reports about such vehicles causing traffic snarls on highways and raising issues of passenger safety. We felt the need to regulate their movement and bring them under a structured framework," he said.