Jammu, October 2025: In a sweeping move to tackle traffic chaos and ensure commuter safety, the District Administration of Jammu has issued a comprehensive order imposing strict regulations on the operation of e-rickshaws, e-autos, and e-carts within the district. The new rules, which come into effect on October 23, 2025, introduce a rigid zoning system, a complete ban on key highways, and the formation of special enforcement teams.
The order, issued by Dr. Rakesh Minhas, IAS, the District Magistrate of Jammu and Chairman of the Regional Transport Authority, cites a “rapid and significant increase” in the number of these vehicles leading to “traffic congestion, unregulated movement, lack of route discipline and instances of overcharging.”
Key Highlights of the New Regulations:
- Strict Zoning System with Colour Codes
All e-rickshaws,e-autos, and e-carts must operate strictly within their allotted zones. Inter-zone movement is prohibited under any circumstances. To enforce this, each vehicle must display a colour-coded identification plate and corresponding coloured strips on both front
Zone Name Zone Number Colour Code
- Traffic City South Jammu Zone-1 Pink
- Traffic City North Jammu Zone-2 Blue
- Akhnoor (Rural) Zone-3 Yellow
- S. Pura (Rural) Zone-4 Red
- Marh (Rural) Zone-5 Green
- Nagrota (Rural) Zone-6 Black
and rear sides. The zones are:
Vehicle owners have been given a seven-day deadline from the issuance of the order to install these plates. Vehicles found plying without the correct colour codes after the deadline will be seized and penalized.
- Complete Ban on Flyovers and Highways
In the interest of public safety,all e-rickshaws, e-autos, and e-carts are prohibited from operating on any Flyover, National Highway, or State Highway within Jammu. The order justifies this by classifying these vehicles as “slow-moving” with a maximum speed of 25 km/h, making them unsuitable and hazardous on high-speed corridors.
- Designated Crossings for Inter-Area Movement
While inter-zone movement is banned,the order has specified seven approved crossings to allow for safe and controlled movement between operational areas. These are:
Amphalia Hospital crossing towards District Jail.
Bakshi Nagar crossing towards old Shakuntala Theatre.
KC Theatre (Backside) crossing towards Shahanar Children Hospital.
Hotel Asia crossing towards District Police Line.
Shashti Nagar Cremation Ground crossing towards Shiksha Niketan School.
Marble Market crossing towards Greater Kalash.
Kunjwanir crossing towards Greater Jammu.
- Crackdown on Out-of-District Vehicles
The order explicitly prohibits e-rickshaws registered outside District Jammu from operating within Jammu city limits.Joint enforcement teams have been directed to take “immediate and strict action” against such violations, with a specific focus on preventing the “seasonal migration” of these vehicles from other districts during the winter months.
Enforcement and Penalties
To ensure compliance, Joint Enforcement Teams comprising officials from the Traffic Police, Regional Transport Office (RTO), Jammu, and local Tehsildars will be constituted. These teams have a wide-ranging mandate to:
Check for unregistered and unauthorized e-rickshaws.
Restrict overcharging by operators.
Enforce zoning regulations and penalize violations.
Monitor vehicle dealers to ensure new registrations are zone-specific.
The order warns that any person, firm, or agency found violating these regulations will face penal action under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, and other applicable laws.
Implementation and Review
Issued on October 11, 2025, the order is set to be implemented from October 23, 2025, for an initial period of three months. The administration has stated that the rules will be reviewed after this period based on compliance levels and stakeholder feedback. The order has been marked for wide publicity through print, electronic, and social media to ensure all concerned parties are informed.
This decisive action represents the administration’s attempt to bring order to the city’s growing traffic woes while balancing the needs of commuters and the livelihoods of e-rickshaw operators.
