Despite govt orders, no check on using tractor-trolleys for travel
Uttar Pradesh government has issued orders time to time for stopping tractor-trolleys from carrying people.
Lucknow: The tragic Kasganj road mishap on Saturday in which at least 23 people lost their lives when a tractor-trolley they were riding fell into a pond while the driver was trying to overtake another vehicle, has once again brought into focus the apparent inadequacies of both the police and the transport departments in enforcing regulations that clearly prohibit use of tractor-trolleys for passenger transportation.

Hundreds of people have died in a series of such accidents in the last few years in Uttar Pradesh despite the government’s orders for stopping tractor-trolleys from carrying people, other than labourers who may be heading to a project site or field for commercial/agricultural work.
ALSO READ- 23 killed as tractor trolley falls into road side pond in Uttar Pradesh
In October, 2023, at least six people were killed and many injured when a tractor-trolley carrying 24 people on a religious trip collided with a dumper on Jalesar Road in Hathras.
In April, 2023 year, a tractor-trolley with 42 people fell into the Garra River in Shahjhanpur district, killing 14 of them.
In July the same year, 18 people were injured when an uncontrolled tractor-trolley fell into a ditch on Bareilly Road in Bisalpur area.
In June, three people were killed and 12 others injured when a tractor-trolly with villagers returning from a pre-wedding function fell into a canal on Sainya-Iradat Road in Agra.
Earlier, 26 people were killed and several injured after a tractor-trolley they were travelling in overturned and fell into a pond in Kanpur district in October 2022.
In September 2022, nine people died and several others were injured in a road accident after a tractor-trolley overturned in a pond in Lucknow’s Itaunja.
“After the back-to-back Kanpur and Itaunja accidents in September-October 2022, authorities launched a state-wide drive to stop tractor-trolleys from carrying passengers, but the efforts appear to have been futile as subsequent and unabated accidents show,” said a senior transport official. “The state government has not taken a call on the transport department’s proposal for laying down the design of tractor-trolleys. The proposal was sent after the Kanpur and Itaunja accidents,” he said.
ALSO READ- Punjab CM bans tractor stunts after 29-year-old gets crushed to death in Gurdaspur
Additional transport commissioner, PS Satyarthi said the directions to prevent tractor-trolleys from ferrying passengers for any purpose were issued from time to time.
“Since people in villages still do not have alternative means of transport, they often end up using tractor-trolleys to travel to perform a ritual etc, putting their lives at risk. Sometimes it becomes difficult to stop such vehicles from plying,” he pointed out.
