LUCKNOW, Aug. 26 -- Frequent road tragedies in Uttar Pradesh have drawn attention to the continued misuse of tractor-trolleys for carrying passengers, a practice banned under state rules but still widespread in rural areas. The concern has resurfaced after the Bulandshahr accident that killed 10 people and injured 41 when a trolley packed with pilgrims was struck by a speeding truck. Transport commissioner Brajesh Narain Singh said he had asked the Meerut regional transport officer to inspect the Bulandshahr accident site and submit a report. "We will take strict action depending on the RTO's report," he said, adding that rules clearly prohibit carrying passengers in tractor-trolleys. The issue has been flagged earlier at the highest level. In 2022, chief minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials to ensure tractor-trolleys were not used for passenger transport following a Kanpur accident in which 26 devotees from Unnao died after a trolley overturned. Yet, the pattern has continued. Similar mishaps involving overloaded trolleys are reported regularly, often resulting in heavy casualties. Despite being barred for passenger use, tractor-trolleys remain a common sight in rural belts, doubling up as makeshift buses during fairs, temple visits, family functions and even funeral processions. Limited transport facilities, convenience, and weak enforcement have kept the practice alive. Seven months ago, in January, the state government introduced its first standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the manufacturing and registration of tractor-trolleys to address safety concerns. These mandate indicators, reflective devices, and backlights restrict their use to agriculture, and cap the life of locally made trolleys at 15 years. Manufacturers must also register with the state and undergo compliance checks every three years. Data points to the scale of the challenge. UP has nearly 20 lakh agricultural tractors but just 4,115 registered trolleys. In 2022-23, while more than 91,000 tractors were registered, only two tractor-trolleys were officially recorded. "Even six months after the SOPs came into force, most tractor-trolleys are still locally fabricated without any safety standards," a senior transport official admitted. "But beyond the issue of design and specifications, the core problem is that these are agricultural vehicles, not meant for carrying passengers." "Enforcement, however, is weak; officials often look the other way under social pressure, in rural areas, where trolleys are routinely used to ferry devotees and villagers," he said. Officials warn that unless misuse is curbed and the new rules are enforced firmly, accidents like the one in Bulandshahr may continue to serve as grim reminders of a problem long recognised but not fully addressed....