LAHORE: The Punjab Transport Department says most of the motorcycle-rickshaws are being manufactured in local workshops without safety standards. It says only seven companies have so far been given licences to manufacture motorcycle-rickshaws.

Chairing a meeting at the Civil Secretariat on Friday, Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman directed the authorities concerned to take stern action against the workshops illegally manufacturing motorcycle-rickshaws.

The chief secretary said conversion of motorcycles into rickshaws was illegal and the three-wheelers manufactured without safety standards were causing environmental pollution and accidents.

The meeting decided to give one month’s time to the unregistered motorcycle-rickshaws to meet fitness criteria and do registration. It also issued instructions to the industries department secretary to prepare a strategy for registration of workshops making motorcycle-rickshaws.

The administrative secretaries of various departments, including industries and law, deputy commissioner, CTO Lahore, and officers concerned attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2023