THE rapid increase in motorcycle rickshaw, or commonly known as Qingqi, is a nuisance. An almost a four-foot wide trolley attached to a motorcycle has no balance.

An untrained driver adds to the misery of passengers and other vehicles around. The trolley keeps swinging right and left whenever the driver speeds up, making it more dangerous for other road users.

The registered companies are supposed to sell Qingqi and not the motorcycle trolley. In January 2016, the Supreme Court had directed Qingqi owners to conform to certain specifications, including the number of passengers, safety guards at front and back, the engine not below 100cc with hydraulic brakes, and standardised wheels. They could operate with these specifications.

Little did we know that after a few years a strange development could take place. The Lahore High Court directed the transport department to stop running the motorcycle rickshaws manufactured by unregistered companies and also take action against those involved in illegal manufacturing of the vehicles. How far the authorities have worked towards the order is yet to be seen.

The government should check unregistered manufacturing factories and ensure the vehicle owners follow the traffic regulations after getting their vehicle registered as a vehicle, not as a motorcycle.

Rukhsana Zafar

Lahore

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2019