Garhwal Post Bureau
Mussoorie, 27 Oct: The proposed plan to install bollards at Ambedkar Chowk—intended to improve traffic management on Mussoorie’s Mall Road—has raised concerns among cycle-rickshaw workers. The Workers’ Union has submitted a memorandum to SDM Rahul Anand requesting that the installation of bollards at Ambedkar Chowk be cancelled. The Union states that cycle-rickshaws serve as a vital mode of transport for, both, locals and tourists along this route. Consequently, any disruption to rickshaw operations caused by the bollards would directly impact the livelihoods of these workers. In the memorandum, the Union explained that cycle-rickshaws operate between the Jhulaghar rickshaw stand and Gandhi Chowk, serving both tourists and local residents. According to the Union, the installation of bollards at Ambedkar Chowk could obstruct the movement of rickshaws, thereby threatening the workers’ means of earning a living. The Union has demanded that no bollards be installed anywhere between Jhulaghar and Gandhi Chowk, and that the proposal to place them at Ambedkar Chowk be shelved.
While acknowledging the necessity of traffic control on Mall Road, the Union emphasizes that any such measures must also account for the interests of the workers whose livelihoods depend on this route. Cycle-rickshaws have long been an integral part of transport for tourists and locals in Mussoorie. Therefore, any decision regarding the installation of bollards must strike a careful balance between traffic management, pedestrian convenience, tourist movement, and the employment of rickshaw workers. Those present during the submission of the memorandum included Workers’ Union President Sampat Lal, General Secretary Soban Singh Panwar, Mijan Lal, Jagat Lal, and Mahipal Singh Panwar, among others.
