The Ahmedabad Police Commissioner has made it mandatory for all auto-rickshaws in the city to register at their respective local police stations and display official identification stickers on both the front and rear of the vehicle.
The move aims to improve passenger safety after a rise in cases of theft, assault, and snatching inside auto-rickshaws. According to a circular issued on Tuesday, all police stations must ensure compliance within 15 days, with support from auto-rickshaw unions and vehicle owners.
Each sticker will carry the police station name, registration serial number, and the Ahmedabad Police emergency helpline (112). Measuring 10×6 inches, the stickers must be placed on the front left body and rear hood of every auto.
During registration, owners and drivers will need to provide details such as vehicle registration number, engine and chassis numbers, names, contact details, and email IDs. Police officials said the stickers will help trace vehicles more quickly during investigations or CCTV checks.
With over two lakh auto-rickshaws ferrying around 10 lakh passengers daily, police say the measure is vital for public safety.
However, rickshaw driver associations have raised objections, arguing that the Regional Transport Office (RTO) already maintains an updated vehicle database accessible to police. They said the new rule imposes unnecessary hardship on law-abiding drivers instead of targeting the few involved in crimes.