If Calcuttans are plagued by auto-cracy, Howrah residents are bearing the brunt of toto-litarianism. Unlicensed battery-operated e-rickshaws or totos have caught the fancy of commuters in a congested town with limited public transport options. Their sheer number has only added to the chaos on the road, taking up scarce road space and clogging traffic.

Teeming numbers

A walk down any road in Howrah gives a fair idea of the abundance of totos and the associated chaos. There are no less than 80 totos running on each route, with the number as high as 300 or more on some. Traffic jams are a frequent problem, especially near toto stands.

Ride rewind

Introduced in 2014 by an amendment to the Motor Vehicles Act of 1980, this non-polluting mode of transport remains largely unregulated. The amendment bill passed in Parliament described the e-rickshaw as a special battery-operated vehicle with three wheels intended to provide last-mile connectivity. The law states that a toto should carry no more than four passengers with nett power of its motor not exceeding 2,000watt and a maximum speed of 25kmph.

From a handful of totos on some busy routes in Howrah, drawing customers with cheap fares, to narrow lanes chock-a-block with totos - the numbers have multiplied, thanks to the alleged patronage of the ruling political party. Today, any unemployed youth with access to about a lakh of rupees is out on the streets plying a toto. "Even 14-15-year-old boys are driving totos. They don't have any registration or route permit," said Sumit Kumar, the DC (traffic), Howrah. "Totos are a good, non-polluting mode of alternative transport but they need to be regulated or there will be chaos on the roads."

Rule brakes

Following a Supreme Court order that required totos to have registration and number plates, the Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC) issued route permits with a year's validity to about 2,400 vehicles in September 2014. "Those permits have expired and none has been renewed. The HMC is not the agency to renew such permits. The Road Transport Authority (RTA) or the district magistrate's office is supposed to issue fresh permits and guidelines regulating these totos," Kumar said.

The transport department of the state government said it had already issued detailed guidelines on e-rickshaws to all district magistrates and the regional transport authorities. "We have told them that these vehicles are now under the motor vehicles act and need to have proper registration papers, licence plates, tax tokens, drivers' licence and route permits. It's now up to the implementing authorities to regulate them," said Chapal Banerjee, a nodal officer of the transport department.

Prakash Pal, the regional transport officer, and Sanjay Basu, the additional district magistrate (general), refused to comment on the issue while Howrah district magistrate Subhanjan Das was unavailable despite several attempts to contact him.

Value for money

At a price tag of just about Rs 1 lakh and readily available with local dealers, who import the parts from other states and assemble them here, many unemployed youths have sold family gold and borrowed money to eke out a livelihood with totos. The vehicles are also low-maintenance with no fuel cost. "Operating totos involves very little expenditure, so they can afford to keep the rates low. They are cheaper than auto-rickshaws and cycle rickshaws and are able to reach the narrowest of lanes and bylanes of Howrah," the DC (traffic) said.

Last-mile link

What was intended to improve last-mile connectivity is now becoming a principal mode of transport on thoroughfares in Howrah. "Totos were designed to carry commuters to their homes from the bus stops. But today they are plying on busy roads such as GT Road and Foreshore Road, where they are slowing down traffic. They cannot be allowed in high-speed corridors, their movement should be restricted to lanes and bylanes. Otherwise, it's going to spell disaster for Howrah roads," Kumar warned.

Nodal officer Banerjee agreed. "Route permits for totos should be issued keeping in mind that they are intended to provide last-mile connectivity. They should not ply on main roads."

Debasish, a toto driver on route 27 (Ramrajatala station), pointed out parking totos was a problem.

"The stand opposite Shankar Math is at an inconvenient spot. Earlier we would park our vehicles in a lane near Shankar Math but local leaders drove us away. So, we are forced to park on the main road," he said.

Random models

Totos are not only unlicensed but there is also no standard model for these vehicles. Ground clearance and tyre sizes vary, leading to frequent accidents. Only those vehicles are allowed to ply on public roads whose prototypes are certified by central government-approved agencies such as the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) or International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT). "There are about 50 models of totos that have been approved by these agencies. Dealers selling these vehicles should also have a certification from these agencies saying their models have been approved," said Banerjee.

Commuters' choice

Commuters, oblivious of the regulations and their rampant violation, have taken to totos in a big way because of limited transportation options. With cycle rickshaws fleecing customers and bus routes inadequate, many feel totos have brought great relief.

E-rickshaw drivers are making the most of it, flocking to populous routes such as Ramrajatala station to Mullickphatak or Chintamoni Dey Road to reach Howrah Maidan. "The Ramrajatala station route is route 27 according to the corporation permit. Often, we find totos from other routes driving here, trying to make the most of the rush hour. There are many schools on this route and also several residents who go to work in Calcutta from Ramrajatala and neighbouring areas," said Manoj Shau, one of the earliest toto drivers on this route.

Arguments break out in the middle of the road when an unknown driver is seen hijacking passengers on a route. "How can we allow someone else to take passengers on our route?" said a toto driver on this route.

Passengers are aware of the banes, but find the boons far greater. "I travel by train from Calcutta and get off at Ramrajatala station. Totos are the most convenient mode of transport for me to get home. I get off near Shyamasree cinema on Netaji Subhas Road and pay only Rs 10 for a ride. A rickshaw would charge nothing less than Rs 50 for the same distance," said Moudipa Polley.

Krishna Bandopadhyay too gets off at Ramrajatala station and takes a toto home to Howrah Maidan. "I reach within 15 minutes. Earlier, I would have to walk down to the bus stand and wait a long time for a bus," she said.

Many women, who travel with their children, find totos safe. "It is far more convenient to travel by toto with children," said Sarika Jain, a resident of Vivek Vihar on GT Road, who was taking a ride from the Avani Mall stand.