All You Need To Know About 'Jugad Rehri' & Why Punjab Govt Withdrew Its Ban On It

The Additional DGP (Traffic) sent a letter to all Senior Superintendents of Police and Police Commissioners On April 18. The letter urged them to undertake a particular campaign against such carts modified with engines or paired with outdated and condemned motorbikes for goods transportation, stressing the possibility of accidents. However, over a week after issuing the instruction, the administration has chosen not to take action against 'Jugad Rehris' for the time being due to a response from the opposition.

Uplifting The Ban

According to a new instruction issued by the Additional DGP (Traffic), district police chiefs are not to take action against the owners of these innovative cars until further notice. They are to educate drivers about their illegality and how they cause accidents on the roads. As a result, the cops ceased their campaign against the inventive carts on Saturday evening.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday rescinded the order prohibiting the use of 'Jugad Rehris' in the state, stating that his government's goal is to generate work rather than take it away, reported The New Indian Express.

What Is A Jugaad Vehicle?

Jugaad is a colloquial term for a creative invention or a fast workaround to overcome commercial, logistical, or legal obstacles. As a result, the Jugaad movement has garnered a following of followers who believe it is proof of India's boiling inventiveness or a cost-effective approach to handling common problems.

In Punjab, 'Jugad Rehris,' also known as gharukka or maruta, are enhanced automobiles lacking registration certificates. These vehicles are powered by engines salvaged from abandoned scooters and motorbikes. They are categorised as unclassified and do not have a car registration plate.

However, jugaad may refer to any low-cost car that costs less than Rs. 50,000. Diesel engines, initially designed to power agricultural irrigation pumps, power jugaads. The technical condition of such vehicles is not reliable, and they are more prone to accidents, as it is cheap.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Jugad Rehris?

In rural areas with bad road conditions, the truck frequently transports more than 20 people. A jugaad is now one of the most cost-effective modes of transportation for rural Indians.

Jugaads are not legally recognised as roadworthy, and despite a few suggestions to regulate them, vote-bank politics has taken precedence over safety concerns. Homemade vehicles are now widely used to move a wide range of loads, from logs to steel rods to schoolchildren. The Indian government has officially outlawed jugaad cars for safety concerns.

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