Patna: Social organisations and cycle-rickshaw pullers on Sunday discussed the challenges they face in Bihar and urged policy makers to bring in a new legislation to regulate cycle-rickshaws.

Cycle-rickshaw is categorised as non-motorised means of transport powered by human pedalling for short-distance commuting, which provides point-to-point connectivity in narrow lanes of the city on for-hire basis.

Delhi-based Institute for Democracy and Sustainability (IDS) in collaboration with the Bihar chapter of National Association of People's Movement, Sustainable Urban Mobility Network and Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation organised the event at Gandhi Sangrahalaya in Patna on Sunday.

Nishant, who is doing his PhD from IIT-Delhi on transportation, said: "Most parts of the state follow the archaic Section 480 of the Patna Municipal Corporation Act, 1951, to operate cycle-rickshaws. The law lacks adequate provisions for financial and social security for rickshaw-pullers."

According to an IDS survey the Patna Municipal Corporation Act, 1951, is being followed in Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur and Gaya. While people who earn their livelihoods by transporting passengers on cycle-rickshaws live under poor conditions, they lack proper identification and social security too. Rajendra Ravi, the director of IDS, said: "Our objective is to convince the government to enact a new law so that the environment-friendly industry is regularised as per the present needs of the rickshaw pullers."

Prem Kumar, 42, a cycle-rickshaw puller from Madhubani, said: "People look at cycle-rickshaws as a nuisance, as a slow-moving vehicle that obstructs flow of traffic on congested roads. Government officials harass rickshaw-pullers by puncturing the vehicle tyres and by confiscating the rickshaws. Because of this insensitive attitude of the government and the police, we find ourselves caught in technically illegal situations while struggling to earn a livelihood."