On April 1, a special campaign against illicit cars and e-rickshaws started in Lucknow, revealing a pervasive breach of the law, with many vehicles running with concealed or improper number plates.

Only 66 cars were punished on Day 1 of enforcement, despite the blatant violations. A large number of e-rickshaws were discovered without number plates; some had green plates without registration numbers, and others had their plates purposefully covered with ropes.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered the crackdown, which aims to reduce the safety dangers presented by these unlicensed and inadequate cars that endanger passenger safety and often lack proper insurance.

The special drive will last until April 30th, according to the Transport Department. However, officials have long failed to address the problem of the absence of authorized impound facilities, which has hampered attempts to seize unlawful cars. More than 36,000 unsuitable cars and e-rickshaws are reportedly operating illegally in the city, surpassing the number of officially registered vehicles.