The Lakshadweep administration has declared every Wednesday a mandatory “no vehicle day” across the union territory from February 25, 2026, sparking widespread anger and imposing a fine of ₹500 for breaking the rule.

The order, issued on February 17 by District Collector and Secretary R Giri Shankar, bans all motor vehicles on the roads, except those for disabled people, security and emergency medical services. Officials say the move promotes people’s health through increased walking and cycling, while also reducing pollution in the ecologically fragile archipelago.

The directive comes after a controversial rule of September 2025 required police permission to pluck coconuts from roadside trees in Andrott and Kalpeni for traffic safety.

Lakshadweep MP Mohammad Hamdullah Sayeed strongly opposed this ban and wrote to the Collector for review. He said that these islands already have a clean environment and less vehicles, which makes the whole day’s stop too much. Practical problems abound: due to limited public transport, parents have to drive their children to school and drive to the airport/jetty when flights and planes arrive on Wednesdays. Elderly people, women, children, those carrying luggage, and those with health conditions (such as heart patients) are most at risk from hiking.

PP Wajib, President of DYFI and local leader on Chetlat Island, described this rule as not practical, and said that people are increasingly dependent on vehicles as compared to before. He stressed the increased burden of prayers, work, emergencies and going to school during Ramadan amid short holidays. Protests are going on, and people are criticizing the overall restrictions.

The move has drawn criticism from many quarters, including the BJP unit, and has been challenged in the Kerala High Court. Although its aim is sustainability, critics consider it disconnected from the ground reality in remote islands.