Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman has ordered the authorities concerned to take stern action against small industrial units manufacturing motorcycle rickshaws illegally. While presiding over a meeting at the Civil Secretariat here on Friday, he discussed the issue of unregistered motorcycle rickshaws and decided to launch a crackdown on the workshops unlawfully converting motorcycles into rickshaws.
The chief secretary said conversion of motorcycles into rickshaws was illegal, and the three-wheelers manufactured without safety standards cause environmental pollution and accidents. He added that unregistered motorcycle rickshaws had been given one months time for registration and only those meeting the fitness criteria would be registered. He warned that after one month, no unregistered motorcycle rickshaws would be allowed to ply the road.
The chief secretary also issued instructions to the Industries Department Secretary to prepare a strategy for registration of workshops making motorcycle rickshaws. The Transport Department officials gave a detailed briefing to the meeting participants. They said that so far seven companies had been given licences to manufacture motorcycle rickshaws, while most of motorcycle rickshaws were being made in local workshops without safety standards. The administrative secretaries of various departments including industries and law, deputy commissioner, CTO Lahore and officers concerned participated in the meeting.
