Raiganj, Feb. 5 -- The Raiganj Municipality aided by the police, stopped rural-area totos without registration numbers and color coding from entering the town at Debinagar Kalibari. This led to strong protests from the drivers, who demanded unrestricted entry into Raiganj town. The new regulation, effective since Wednesday, aims to reduce traffic congestion and improve road safety. However, the affected drivers are demanding a reconsideration of the policy.
Murtaj Alam, a protesting toto driver, stated: "We purchased our totos with loans from Bandhan Bank and are paying weekly installments. If we are not allowed to enter the town daily, our business will suffer." The municipality has permitted them to operate only three days a week but the drivers are demanding daily access. Alam also suggested expanding roads by removing encroachments instead of restricting vehicles. According to reports, over 3,000 totos from urban and rural areas operate daily in Raiganj, causing frequent road accidents. To manage traffic congestion, the municipality has introduced a colour-coded system. Registered totos will be marked either green or blue, with green Totos allowed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, while blue ones will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. All totos will be permitted on Saturdays. Mpost
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.