Rickshaws now fading into 'a thing of the past'
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 29 2026: Traffic policemen chasing and beating the back of cycle-rickshaws was a common sight in Khwairamband Keithel area some time back.

The number of the "rickshaws" operating in the city had increased to such an extent that it was identified as a "cause for traffic jams", especially in the 80s and 90s, forcing the Transport Department to form committees to manage traffic and parking.

While it was the workhorse people relied on for normal commute to market, cinema and office etc, the cycle-rickshaws have now faded and become "a thing of the past"--with only 12 of them operating in Khwairamband area.

Rickshaws now fading into 'a thing of the past'

"The expected decline was driven by a boom in the number of privately owned cars, bikes, and emergence of diesel and electric auto-rickshaws," said Sheikh Liaquat Ali, who still drives a human-pedalled cycle-rickshaw.

Sheikh is the president of the "Traffic Regulation and Parking Committee" that manages the parking of cycle-rickshaws in front of Johnstone Higher Secondary School.

The committee manages 12 cycle-rickshaws which operate in the Khwairamband area.

Vendors who come to Imphal to sell goods, vegetables in the Khwairamband hire them.

The cycle-rickshaws transport the vendors' goods from Johnstone Higher Secondary School to Samu Makhong, Khwairamband.

A driver earns Rs 30 per trip.

"A cycle-rickshaw driver earns upto Rs 700 on a good day.

Sometimes, we earn very less," Sheikh said.

Sheikh recalled his early days, and said he started driving cycle-rickshaw on September 9, 1974 to earn a livelihood.

Sheikh said he operated on the New Checkon-Khwairamband route during those days.

For carrying a passenger from the New Checkon Keithel to Khwairamband Keithel, Sheikh said he charged 75 paise.

"Some generous passengers would give Re 1" .

As years passed, the fare too rose.

Cycle-rickshaws were the main mode of commute of many people in Imphal.

People who came to Khwairamband market, hospitals, office and cinema goers depended on cycle-rickshaws, Sheikh said.

"There were not many people who owned vehicles, cars and scooters.

Cycle-rickshaws were the main mode of transport for many," Sheikh said.

Sometimes when people missed their bus, cycle-rickshaw drivers would travel long distances to get them home, Sheikh said.

"There were times when I carried people to Lamshang, Nambol and even Thoubal," Sheikh said.

Cycle-rickshaw drivers would wait near cinema halls late at night to catch passengers, he added.

There were even "Mahajans" who were renting cycle-rickshaws to people.

The number of cycle-rickshaws had risen so much that it "caused" traffic jams.

"Traffic policemen would chase and beat the back of the cycle-rickshaws, to drive them away and clear traffic," Sheikh said.

To manage cycle-rickshaws, the Directorate of Transport on July 6, 2002 formed around 40 Traffic Regulation and Parking Committees.

The committees manage traffic and parking of cycle-rickshaws registered with the Imphal Municipal Council (now Imphal Municipal Corporation) in the respective areas.

Fast-forward to the present time, the committee that is managing the parking of cycle-rickshaws in front of Johnstone Higher Secondary School remains the only surviving committee.

"The decline of the cycle-rickshaw was however expected with the emergence of diesel and even electric auto-rickshaws." Fading but it still remains the only means of earning a livelihood for some, Sheikh said.

"For some of us, this remains the only trade we know.

We continue to pedal and sweat to earn a livelihood," Sheikh added.