The Supreme Court on Wednesday (August 6, 2025), horrified in the use of hand-drawn rickshaws, after 78 years of country’s independence, ordered the Maharashtra to stop the practice of “inhuman” within six months in Matheran and instead switched to e-Rickows.
“The permission of such practice, which is against the basic concept of human dignity in the country, such as India, which is a developing country, said the constitutional promises of social and economic justice,” said the bench including the chief judge BR Gavai and judges for Vinod Chandran and NV Anjaria.
As a result, she ordered a complete stop on hand -buddy rickshaws in Matheran.
The state government was ordered to explore the possibility of providing e-rules to the local residents in Matheran-Cock Station, which is the Lakhs of tourists at the highest periods-as Gujarat’s bodies did in Kevadia.
The statue of Sardar Patel, the highest statue, in Kevadia in Gujarat is located on the island of Sadhu Bet in Narmada and the authorities gave e-rickers to local residents.
The bench punished the practice of using manual rickshaw, 78 years after independence and 75 years after the constitution came into force and called it “inhuman” and “against the basic concept of human dignity”.
“Continue such human practice even after 78 years of independence and after 75 years of the Constitution, which was enacted and promising social and economic justice to its citizens, would betray the promise of the Indian people who were given to themselves,” he said.
The Supreme Court referred to a 45-year judgment in the case of “Azad Rickshaw Pullers Union v. State of Pandjab”, which held cycling-ricksha, was contrary to the preambul on social justice.
“It is really unfortunate that 45 years after observing this court in the case of” Azad Rickshaw Pullers Union “, the practice of a person pulling another human being still prevails in Matheran,” Cji ordered.
He added: “The question we ask is whether this practice is alive on the constitutional promise of social and economic equality and social and economic justice. Unfortunately, the answer will be negative.”
The bench said poverty often forced people to work, but the emphasized economic urge could not justify humiliating human work.
The bench, which quoted the 1982 judgment in the “People of India for Democratic Rights”, repeated the exploitative working conditions for forced labor under Article 23.
Referring to Matheran Lavička said it was an ecological station where cars are prohibited, except for emergency vehicles and relying on hand -drawn rickshaw for the transport of tourists and goods for a long time.
CJI directed the hand -drawn rickshaws within six months, and ordered the laying of Dasturi Naka blocks on the statue of Shivaji.
The bench also warned the state government not to apologize to the lack of funds because it would not be accepted for non -implementation.
“We explain that the unavailability of funds cannot be an excuse for the non -leading system. We hope that the state will offer necessary assistance in stopping such inhuman practice,” he said.
The bench has issued a number of instructions and said: “The government is allowed to lay the blocks of Dasturi Naka (bus station) to the sculpture of Shivaji in Matheran.”
He also ordered that no blocks were laid on the inner road and trade routes in Hill.
The Matheran Monitoring Committee, under the chairmanship of the collector of Matheran, established in the ecological zone, was ordered to identify the real Putans Rikša.
“The number of the required e-ricker will also be decided by the committee after considering ground reality,” Lavička added.
The Supreme Court stated that the rest of the e-rules could be assigned to tribal women and other persons in Matheran to ensure a constant living.
Cars are banned in Matheran because of environmental concerns.
The special status of Matheran was recognized by the highlight and the Ministry of the Environment and Forests issued a notice of 4 February 2003 and declared a hill station and the surrounding region as an ecological sensitive zone.
Published – August 6 2025 17:50 is
