Guwahati has rules to govern fares, routes and driving standards across its public transport network, but commuters and drivers say enforcement on the ground is inconsistent, leaving a gap between regulation and reality. The District Transport Office (DTO), Kamrup (Metro), maintains that rules exist for autos, e-rickshaws, green city buses and other vehicles, and that enforcement measures such as fines and licence seizures are in place. Official DTO data shows that as of 2025 the city had about 2,900 registered passenger e-rickshaws, 2,800 auto-rickshaws, 3,386 buses, roughly 7,500 taxis including app-based services, and 1,445 maxi taxis-numbers that underline the scale of oversight required.
One highly visible fault line concerns auto-rickshaw fares. The DTO says installation of a fare meter is mandatory for autos not operating via apps and that operators who do not use meters can be fined and denied fitness certificates. “The enforcement department further looks into the on-ground reality,” a DTO official said. Yet drivers tell a different story: several have meters fitted but do not use them, saying there is little pressure to operate by the meter and that the prescribed rate-about Rs 10 per kilometre, they say-makes earning a living difficult. “If everything goes well as per the market pricing, we don’t have any problem with that, we are okay with the fare meter,” one auto-rickshaw driver told this report, noting that a working meter could also remove the need for bargaining with passengers.
E-rickshaws add another layer of complexity. The DTO acknowledges there are currently no designated routes for passenger e-rickshaws, and says these vehicles are seen on highways and city roads, sometimes causing traffic disturbance. “We are preparing a standard operating procedure (SOP) for e-rickshaws and we will very soon submit that to the district commissioner in Guwahati as he is the chairman of DTO. As soon as we submit the SOP, e-rickshaws will operate via designated routes,” a DTO official said. Drivers warn that strict route limits could hit daily earnings; one e-rickshaw driver said prohibitions on city or highway access would make it hard to sustain a livelihood. Another driver added that app-linked e-rickshaws appear to move more freely across the city, a perception that fuels uncertainty over fair application of rules.
Green city buses are governed by an SOP issued by the district commissioner and, the DTO says, licences are seized when buses violate norms. Enforcement is visible at DTO premises: a security staffer said about three to four green buses are impounded daily and held for five to six days before being moved. Bus drivers argue some violations are situational-left lanes they are instructed to use are often blocked by parked vehicles, forcing them into other lanes and exposing them to penalties. Drivers also point to commercial pressure from vehicle owners, who demand fixed payments and can push operators toward risky driving to meet collections.
Rules thus exist for autos, e-rickshaws and green buses, but inconsistent implementation leaves commuters unsure of fares and routes and drivers facing operational and economic pressures. DTO officials say action is being taken, yet the persistence of the same problems suggests fines and seizures alone are not enough. For Guwahati to close the gap between regulation and roads, drivers must have clear, enforceable norms that account for on-the-ground realities, commuters must know what they are entitled to pay, and enforcement agencies must apply rules consistently so accountability is predictable rather than sporadic.
Original Source: https://www.guwahatiplus.com/exclusive-news/guwahatis-public-transport-has-rules-but-enforcement-remains-the-missing-link
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Publish Date: 2026-08-15 23:37:00
