The Tripura Rickshaw Regulation Act,2014

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GOVERNMENT OF TRIPURA 

LAW DEPARTMENT 

SECRETARIAT: AGARTALA 

No. F.8(17)-Law/Leg-l/2014      Dated, Agartaia 15th  October, 2014 

The following Act of the Tripura Legislative Assembly received the assent of the 
Governor on 12-10-2014 and is hereby published for General Information. 

D. M.JAMATIA 

L. R. & SECRETARY, LAW. 

GOVERNMENT OF TRIPURA 

 

THE TRIPURA RICKSHAW REGULATION ACT, 2014. 

AN 

ACT 

Tripura Act No. 17 of 2014 

to provide for a comprehensive legislation to replace existing “The Rickshaw Niyamak 
Act,1357 T.E”. 

WHEREAS 

The Tripura Rickshaw Niyamak Act, 1357 T.E, is an Act enacted by erstwhile 
Tripura king and a considerable period has been elapsed thereafter, without 
making a comprehensive legislation to cater the abruptly changed scenario in 
respect to means and manner of transportation; 

AND WHEREAS 

taking into account the changes in the road transport technology, pattern of 
passenger and freight movements, developments of the road network in the state 
and particularly the improved techniques in the transportation management, it is 
now necessitated to enact a comprehensive legislation to replace the existing 
Rickshaw Niyamak Act, 1357 T.E;’ 

BE it enacted by the Tripura Legislative Assembly in the Sixty-fifth year of the 
Republic of India, as follows:- 

1. Short title and commencement 

(a) This Act may be called the “The Tripura Rickshaw Regulation Act, 2014”; 



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(b) This shall come into force on and from the date of its publication in the State 
Gazette. 

2. Definitions 

In this Act, unless the context other requires- 

(a) “area”, in relation to any provision of this Act, means such area as the State 
Government may, having regard to the requirements of that provision, specify 
by notification in the Official Gazette; 

(b) “certificate of registration” means the certificate issued by a competent 
authority, prescribed by the Government, to the effect that a rickshaw has been 
duly registered in accordance with the provisions of the Act; 

(c)” dealer” includes a person who is engaged- 

(i) in the manufacture of rickshaw; or 

(ii) in building bodies for attachment to chassis; or 

(iii) in the repair of rickshaw; or 

(iv) in the business of hypothecation, leasing or hire-purchase of 
rickshaw; 

(d) “driver” includes, in relation to a rickshaw, other than a three-wheeled 
cycle-rickshaw driven manually, the person who acts as a steersman of the 
drawn rickshaw; 

(e) “driving licence” means the licence issued by a competent authority, prescribed 
by the Government, authorising the person specified therein to drive, a rickshaw 

other than a three-wheeled cycle-rickshaw driven manually; 

(f) “Government” means the State Government; 

(g) “invalid carriage” means a rickshaw, specially designed and constructed, and not 
merely adapted, for the use of a person suffering from some physical defect or 
disability, and used solely by or for such a person; 

(h) “owner” means a person in whose name a rickshaw stands registered, and where 
such person is a minor, the guardian of such minor, and in relation to a rickshaw 
which is the subject of a hire-purchase, agreement, or an agreement of lease or an 
agreement of hypothecation, the person in possession of the rickshaw under that 
agreement; 

(i) “permit” means a permit issued by an authority, prescribed by the Government in 
this behalf, authorising the use of a rickshaw; 

(j) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act; 

(k) “public place” means a road, street, way or other place, whether a thoroughfare 
or not, to which the public have a right of access, and includes any place or stand at 



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which passengers are picked up or set down by a rickshaw or any other stage 
carriage; 

(l) “registering authority” means an officer, prescribed by the Government, 
empowered to register a rickshaw; 

(m) “rickshaw” means any class of rickshaw and includes a three-wheeled cycle-
rickshaw driven manually or a battery operated rickshaw or a e-rickshaw, by 
whatever name it is called or known, and also includes a mechanically propelled 
communication device adapted for use upon roads which does not come under the 
purview of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (Central Act No. 59 of 1988) and the Rules 
made there under, but does not include an invalid carriage as defined under sub-

section (f) of this section; 

(n) “traffic signs” shall have the same meaning as assigned to it under the Motor 
Vehicles Act, 1988 (Central Act No. 59 of 1988); 

3. Registration and use of rickshaw 

 (1) Every owner of a rickshaw, shall produce his rickshaw, within such period 
and after expiry of each such period, as may be prescribed, to the office of such 
authority, as may be prescribed, and shall have the same registered and obtain a 
licence; 

(2) No person shall drive or draw a rickshaw and no owner of a rickshaw shall 

cause or permit the rickshaw to be driven or drawn in any public place or in any 
other place unless the rickshaw is registered in accordance with this Act and the 
Rules made thereunder and the certificate of registration of the rickshaw has not 
been suspended or cancelled and the rickshaw carries a registration mark 
displayed in the prescribed manner: 

(3) The conditions, subject to which the provisions of sub-section (1) & (2) shall 
not apply shall be as such, as may be prescribed by the Government. 

4. Prohibition to drive or draw a rickshaw without registration 

(1) No person, shall drive or draw a rickshaw in any public place, unless his name 
is registered as a driver or drawer by the registering authority, and unless he 
holds an effective licence, issued to him by an authority as prescribed by the 
Government in that regard, authorising him to drive or draw the rickshaw; 

(2) The conditions subject to which the provisions of sub-section (1) shall not 
apply shall be as such, as may be prescribed by the Government. 

5. Power to cancel or suspend the registration 

The registering authority shall, in case of any contravention of any provision of 
this Act or the Rules made thereunder, cancel or suspend the registration of any 
rickshaw. 

6. Age limit in connection with driving of rickshaw 

(1) No person under the age of eighteen years shall drive or draw a rickshaw in 

any public place; 



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(2) The owner of a rickshaw shall not have the same driven or drawn by a person 
of less than eighteen years of age; 

(3) No licence or driving licence shall be issued to any person to drive or draw a 
rickshaw of any class, unless he is eligible under this section. 

7. Use of rickshaw on road 

When driving or drawing a rickshaw, the driver or drawer of such rickshaw finds 
any other conveyance coming from the direction in front of him, he shall move 
away to his left side. He shall keep his rickshaw to the extreme left side of the 

road when he has to stop the movement of his rickshaw for the purpose of giving 
a lift to passengers. 

8. Use of light 

Bright light shall be affixed to the outside as well as the back-side of the 
rickshaw, if it is to be driven or drawn before sun-rise or after sun-set. 

9. Use of signalling device 

No person shall drive or draw any rickshaw on a street without having affixed a 
bell or such type of horn or signals or signalling device, as may be prescribed by 
the Government. 

10. Leaving rickshaw in dangerous position 

No driver or drawer of a rickshaw shall sleep or sit on a rickshaw on a street in 
such a manner as to cause obstruction to the traffic of conveyance. 

11. Licence Fee 

The licence fee shall be paid according to the rates as may be prescribed by the 
Government; 

Provided that the State Government may, by general or special order, exempt 
any rickshaw owner or driver from payment of licence fee, on any ground, to be 
recorded in writing, on an application made by such owner or driver to the 
licensing authority, in such manner, as may be prescribed; 

Provided further that, the Government may cancel such exemption, if it is 
satisfied that, the exemption was obtained by fraud or misrepresentation, or that 
such owner or driver has failed to comply with the terms and conditions imposed 
or directions issued to him in that regard. 

12. Rates of fares 

(1) Any rickshaw shall be hired either by time basis or according to distance, and 
this shall be determined at the very time of hiring such rickshaw. Where nothing 
has been settled, the fares shall be paid by time. The fares shall be paid 
according to the rates, as may be prescribed by the respective registering 
authority, by order and different rates may be fixed for different areas and such 
rates are subject to change, from time to time; 



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(2) The full list of the rates of fares shall be carried with each rickshaw and shall 
also be produced to the passengers on demand. 

13. Duty to produce licence, certificate of registration etc. 

The driver or drawer of a rickshaw, in any public place,’ shall produce for 
examination, on demand by any police officer in uniform or any person authorised 
by the concerned registering authority, his licence and or certificate of 
registration and or any other document, which are mandatorily required to be 
obtained from the appropriate authority, in accordance with this Act or the Rules 
made thereunder; 

Provided that the driver or drawer may, if his licence has been submitted to, or 
has been seized by any officer or authority under this Act or any other law for the 
time being in force, produce in lieu of the licence a receipt or other 
acknowledgment issued by such officer or authority in respect thereof and 
thereafter produce the licence within such period and in such manner, as the 
Government may prescribe. 

14. Duty to Obey Traffic Signs 

Every driver or drawer of a rickshaw shall drive or draw the rickshaw in 
conformity with any indication given by mandatory traffic signs and shall comply 
with all directions given to him by any police officer for the time being engaged in 
the regulation of traffic in any public place. 

15. Power to restrict the use of vehicles 

If the State Government or any authority authorized in this behalf by the State 
Government, is satisfied that it is necessary in the interest of public safety or 
convenience, or because of the nature of any road or bridge, may by a general or 
special order, prohibit or restrict, subject to such exceptions and conditions, as 
may be specified in such order, the driving or drawing of rickshaw or of any 
specified class or description of rickshaw in a specified area or on a specified 
road, for a period not exceeding seven days; 

Provided that, where any prohibition or restriction under this section is to remain 
in force for a period exceeding seven days, notification thereof in the Official 
Gazette shall be published by the Government. 

16. Limit of maximum numbers of passengers 

The registering authority, with the approval of the Government, may by a general 
or special order, issued in this regard, fix the limit of maximum numbers of 
passengers to be carried at a time in a rickshaw. 

17. Rate for letting out on hiring 

Where an owner of a rickshaw has let it out to the driver or drawer, he may claim 
a hire at a rate, as may be prescribed by the Government in that behalf. 

18. Offences 

Any owner, driver or drawer of any rickshaw, who infringes any provisions of this 
Act or any rules made thereunder shall, upon conviction, be liable to rigorous 



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imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding five 
hundred rupees or to both. 

19. Penalty for subsequent offence 

Whoever, having been convicted of an offence punishable under section 16 of this 
Act, if again found to be guilty of any such offence, shall on conviction, be 
subjected for every such subsequent offence, to the double of the punishment to 
which he would have been liable for the first commission of the offence. 

20. Offence by whom triable 

Offences punishable under this Act shall be triable by any Magistrate, having 
jurisdiction in the place where the offence is committed. 

21. Composition of offences 

(1) Any offence punishable under this Act, may either before or after the 

institution of the prosecution, be compounded by such officers or authorities and 
for such amount as the State Government may, by notification in the Official 
Gazette, specify in this behalf; 

(2) Where an offence has been compounded under sub-section (1), the offender, 
if in custody, shall be discharged and no further proceedings shall be taken 
against him in respect of such offence. 

22. Penalty for causing obstruction to free flow of traffic 

(1) Whoever keeps a rickshaw on any public place, in such a manner, so as to 
cause impediment to the free flow of traffic, shall be liable for such periodical 
penalty, as the government may by order specify, till it remains in that position; 

Provided that a rickshaw involved in any accident shall be liable for penalty only 
from the time of completion of inspection formalities under any other law, for the 
time being in force; 

(2) The penalties under this section shall be recoverable by the prescribed officers 
or authorities. 

23. Power to arrest without warrant 

(1) A police officer in uniform may arrest without warrant, any person - 

(a) who in his presence commits an offence punishable under this Act, or 

(b) who has committed an offence under this Act, if such person refuses 

to give his name and address, or 

(c) who being involved or reasonably suspected to have been involved in 
an offence under this Act or if the police officer has reason to believe that 
he will abscond or otherwise avoid the service of summons; 



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(2) A police officer arresting a person under sub-section (1) shall, if the 
circumstances so require, take or cause to be taken any steps, he may 
consider proper for the temporary disposal of the rickshaw. 

24. Power to impound document 

(1) Any police officer or other person authorised in this behalf by the Government 
may, if such police officer or person has reason to believe that, any identification 
mark carried on a rickshaw or any licence, permit, certificate of registration or 
other document produced to him by the driver or drawer or person in charge of a 
rickshaw, is a false document, within the meaning of section 464 of the Indian 
Penal Code, seize the mark or document and call upon the driver or drawer or 

owner of the rickshaw to account for his possession of or the presence in the 
rickshaw of such mark or document; 

(2) Any police officer or other person authorised in this behalf by the State 
Government may. if such police officer or person has reason to believe that the 
driver or drawer of a rickshaw, who is charged with any offence under this Act, 
may abscond or otherwise avoid the service of a summons, seize any licence held 
by such driver or drawer and forward it to the Court taking cognizance of the 
offence and the said Court shall on the first appearance of such driver or drawer 
before it, return the licence to him in exchange for a temporary acknowledgment; 

(3) A police officer or other person seizing a licence under sub-section (2) shall 
give to the person surrendering the licence a temporary acknowledgment therefor 
and such acknowledgment shall authorise the holder to drive or draw until the 
licence has been returned to him or until such date as may be specified by the 
police officer or other person in the acknowledgment, whichever is earlier; 

Provided that if any magistrate, police officer or other person authorised by the 
Government in this behalf is, on an application made to him, satisfied that the 
licence cannot be, or has not been, returned to the holder thereof before the date 
specified in the acknowledgment for any reason for which the holder is not 

responsible, the magistrate, police officer or other person, as the case may be, 
may extend the period of authorization to drive to such date as may be specified 
in the acknowledgment. 

25. General power to make rules 

(1) The State Government may, by notification in the official gazette, make rules 
generally to carry out the purpose of this Act; 

(2) Every such rules made by the State Government under this Section, shall be 
laid as soon as may be after it is made, before the Legislative Assembly of 
Tripura. 

26. Protection of action taken in good faith 

No suit prosecution or other proceeding shall lie- 

(1) against any officer of the Government, for anything in good faith done or 
intended to be done under this Act; 



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(2) against the Government, for any damage caused or likely to be caused or any 
injury suffered or likely to be suffered by anything in good faith done or intended 
to be done under this Act. 

27. Repeal and saving 

(1) “The Rickshaw Niyamak Act, 1357 T.E” (Tripura Act No. 1 of 1357 T.E) is 
hereby repealed; 

(2) Notwithstanding such repeal, any rules made or anything done or any action 
taken or any proceeding instituted or any order made or any notification issued 

under the Act so repealed, shall be deemed to have been made or done or taken 
or instituted or issued under the corresponding provisions of this Act; 

28. Power to remove difficulties 

(1) If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this Act, after its 
commencement, the State Government may, by order, published in the official 

gazette, make such provisions not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, as 
may appear to be necessary for removing the difficulty; 

Provided that, no such order shall be made under this section after the expiry of 
two years from the date of commencement of this Act; 

(2) Every order made under this section, shall be laid, as soon as may be after it 

is made, before the Tripura Legislative Assembly. 

D.M. JAMATIA 

L.R & SECRETARY, LAW. 

GOVERNMENT OF TRIPURA