Around 2 lakh surveillance cameras, 350 automatic number plate detection cameras, and over 500 checkpoints guarded by traffic police. And yet, Delhi is choked each day by traffic snarls caused partly by the plying of illegal vehicles.
The rot runs deeper. In fact, an organised racket has enjoyed unbridled control on the movement of illegal traffic, with help from two essentials – the taftishi (or the middleman) and the marka syndicate. This is what a month-long investigation by Newslaundry found, with one of the city’s 50 traffic circles as a case study.
But this is a system that has existed for decades, some of those part of this ring told us.
‘I keep everyone happy’
It was sheer coincidence that when we were talking to Jitendra, sitting in the tractor he drives for a living, a man arrived on a scooter. We were at Gagan Chowk, in the Nand Nagri neighbourhood of north-east Delhi. After much coaxing, Jitendra had agreed to talk on camera with us about underhand payments that allow illegal vehicles to move freely on Delhi roads.
However, the moment he saw the other man park his scooter in front of the tractor, Jitendra asked us to stop recording. “That’s Ajay Tyagi,” he said and asked us to let him go, looking uneasy. “Things have got really messy today,” he said to us.
Meanwhile, Ajay Tyagi called out to me. “Come down, bhai. Why are you doing all this?” he asked. Clearly, he knew we were journalists. “You people found only my area to come to? You could have gone somewhere else.”
A taftishi is a middleman who takes money from tractor drivers and ensures they can ply their routes without any interference from the police.
He laughed and invited us to join him for a bite. “Look, bhai, I keep everyone happy. In the entire Nand Nagri Circle, I have the only point where you will not see any policeman. Because I keep them so happy that they don’t need to come here,” he said.
Tyagi is a taftishi, a middleman who takes money from tractor drivers and ensures they can ply their routes without any interference from the police. The legal term for this is extortion and is punishable by death, life imprisonment or 10 years’ imprisonment under Section 308 of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita.
Middlemen like the taftishi, who are also known as “investigators”, have divided the city of Delhi between them. Those who pay them say these middlemen work like a link between the Delhi police and drivers of commercial vehicles that are operating in the capital (often illegally).
Tyagi’s area is Tahirpur point. Every month, Jitendra pays Tyagi and two other taftishi Rs 2,000 each to ensure he is able to drive his tractor in Delhi without being flagged by the traffic police. “I pay Rs 6,000 every month to the investigators so that I can drive the tractor through the three points. If you don’t pay, you will not be able to drive the vehicle and the tractor will also be shut down,” Jitendra told Newslaundry.
Organised crime to organise traffic
According to a TomTom report, Delhi was one of the most traffic-congested cities in the world in 2022 and the Central Road Research Institute has estimated that every day, 70 lakh vehicles take to the capital’s streets.
Exacerbating this problem is the presence of illegal vehicles, to which Delhi police seems to turn a blind eye. The vehicles are considered illegal for a variety of reasons, ranging from not having the necessary permit to violating regulations about the number of passengers allowed. Those operating these vehicles are usually among the downtrodden. For different reasons, they find themselves with no option other than to submit to the demands made of them. Drivers like Jitendra allege the police are colluding with extortionists who force drivers to pay in exchange for their vehicles being able to move freely across the city.
Newslaundry went to Nand Nagri circle and spoke to drivers and others who are part of this network to understand how it works.
In exchange for hefty payments, middlemen manage the running of tractors, autos and Eecos in Delhi.
There are seven points, or zones, in Nand Nagri: Bhopura Theka (on the border with Uttar Pradesh), Char Khambha, Sevadham Road, Loni roundabout, Durgapuri Chowk, Tahirpur and DLF. One or two police personnel are deployed at each of these points. They work in two shifts. The first shift runs from 7 am to 3 pm while the second shift runs from 3 pm to 11 pm. However, our investigation discovered that rather than the traffic police, private individuals actually manage traffic in these areas.
In exchange for hefty payments, middlemen manage the running of tractors, autos and Eecos (a five- to seven-seater manufactured by Maruti) in different parts of Delhi. Autos and Eecos are usually used by commuters. The tractors transport pebbles, gravel, dust, sand, bricks, soil, debris and other construction material.
Lawyer Ajay Kumar Jain, who is also the publisher of the magazine Vidhikpaksh, said, “Tractors are being operated illegally all over Delhi, which raises a serious question. It’s no secret that people are dying in accidents caused by these tractors.” When asked if these tractors need a permit to operate on Delhi roads, Jain replied, “You must be aware that tractors run on diesel. They often don’t even have number plate on Delhi roads. And they carry large trolleys along. How is this possible without a nexus?”
“The traffic police can spot riders without 9x9 inch helmets but not a 40-foot tractor trolley…tractors contribute the most to pollution in Delhi.”
Jain alleged “monthly payments” are paid to “authorities” and as a result, tractors run unchecked.
“Which vehicle will pass from here and which vehicle will not, all this is decided not by the police but by these people,” he said, talking about the taftishi, who manage tractors, and the marka system, which controls the movement of autos and Eecos. “This work is done in an extremely organised manner by the police and these private individuals.”
Tractors in the city
Altogether, an estimated 1,500 tractors pass through Nand Nagri and take one of four routes. All the routes have points where drivers must pay the taftishi.
Route 1 goes from Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital to Tahirpur and then to Bhopura border via Gagan Cinema. Newslaundry’s investigation found that approximately 500 tractors take this route and drivers pay Rs 2,000 to taftishis at three points on this route. This means the taftishis earn at least Rs 20 lakh each month. Tyagi, who had boasted to us about keeping policemen in his area “happy”, is the taftishi for Tahirpur.
Route 2 runs from Sevadham to Char Khamba and then to Bhajanpura via Loni roundabout. Approximately 250 tractors use this route and once again, taftishis charge Rs 2,000 from drivers at three points, earning approximately Rs 15 lakh in a month. Drivers told Newslaundry that a taftishi named Lala is in charge of Sevadham while another named Rajkumar collects money at Char Khamba and at the Bhopura border.
Route 3 has tractors coming from Durgapuri, going towards Nand Nagri after passing through Char Khamba and then towards Sevadham. Approximately 500 tractors take this route and cross three points where they must pay the taftishi. The drivers who spoke to Newslaundry said the taftishi at Durgapuri is Ravinder. The approximate earnings from the three points is Rs 30 lakh every month.
Route 4 runs from GTB Hospital to DLF, then further toward Uttar Pradesh (UP). Approximately 250 tractors take this route and the tafitishi collects Rs 10 lakh in a month. Zeeshan is reportedly the taftishi at DLF point.
With each tractor driver paying Rs 2,000 at every pre-decided point on the route, the taftishi collect in the range of approximately Rs 75 lakh in a month. “If we don’t pay, they stop the tractor,” said Sameer Chaudhary, who has been a driver for approximately eight years. “My tractor passes through four points. In this way, I pay an entry fee of Rs 8,000,” he said.
Someone who used to work as a taftishi told Newslaundry on condition of anonymity that a significant portion of these earnings are distributed among senior traffic police officials and a smaller amount is given to the traffic police deployed in these areas.
Another driver, Samir, said, “We carry and dump debris in Nand Nagri Circle. In return, we give monthly ‘duty’ on point to point basis to the traffic policemen,” he said, confirming that the amount paid to taftishis at each point was Rs 2,000. His route passes through four points, which means Rs 8,000 in a month.
Tractor driver Jitendra told us that all those who pay the taftishi are able to move freely. “If they ever stop us, we tell them that our money has been deposited, or we make them talk to the taftishi on the phone,” he said when asked if the traffic police ever stopped them. Jitendra believes the police are aware of this racket, but choose to do nothing about it.
For the two months that we investigated this story, Newslaundry did not encounter any traffic personnel and we saw the traffic police booths in this area were locked.
The ‘marka mafia’
At the UP-Delhi border of North East Delhi, known as the Bhopura border, there are hundreds of parked autos. They bear license plates with Delhi or UP numbers and from here, the autos go to Ghaziabad, Sahibabad, Charkhamba, Harsh Vihar, Nand Nagari and Sunder Nagri.
Come to Loni roundabout, and you’ll find an outpost of Jyoti Nagar police station. Nearby, unperturbed by the many ‘No Parking’ signs, is a long line of Eecos, with a queue of passengers alongside waiting for their turn. Men known to auto and Eeco drivers as “marka mafia” can be seen roaming around. They’re the ones who take money from the drivers, promising ease of movement for the illegal vehicles.
“This is a border area, adjacent to Uttar Pradesh,” said lawyer Ajay Kumar Jain. “The level of responsibility that traffic inspectors should have here is practically non-existent. The entire traffic system is under the control of private individuals.”
The marka is a sticker given to autos and Eecos to put on their windshields to indicate they have paid the middleman.
Convincing drivers to speak to us about the payment system that keeps them on the roads took a lot of effort. The hesitation is rooted in the general acceptance that the police are hand in glove with those who extort money from the drivers. “It is a matter of setting. The one who has a good setting with the police becomes the marka mafia,” said Wasim, who has been an auto driver since 2006.
The marka is a sticker given to autos and Eecos to put on their windshields to indicate they have paid the middleman. One auto driver described it as “label”. The marka may look like a regular, decorative sticker, but it works like a permit. It indicates the monthly money has been deposited for that vehicle, which in turn means the police will not get in the auto drivers’ way.
While we were reporting this story, the marka for Eecos was a sticker that read “HERO”. Eeco driver Parvez Ali said, “Before Hero, ‘Sahil’, ‘Radhey-Radhey’ and ‘Pradhan ji’ marka have also been running here. It keeps changing every month.”
Jain described the marka system as a “syndicate” that has been in place for decades. "One sticker works across multiple areas. All points covered by this magical sticker are effectively protected. Furthermore, these marka mafia aren’t just ordinary people. They operate under the blessings of local strongmen and criminals,” said Jain.
In Nand Nagri, 600 Eecos ply from Loni roundabout to Anand Vihar bus stand via Char Khamba, Tahirpur and DLF. All of these are operating illegally since they are private vehicles being used for commercial purposes. Drivers told Newslaundry that Bobby has been the man in charge of marka for Eecos for the past two decades. Each driver pays Bobby Rs 3,500 every month. It is a commonly held belief that Bobby pays top officials, which is why no police personnel touches him and his marka works like a free pass.
“There are so many illegal vehicles running here. They are not running without any reason,” said Ali. “All this is a game of collusion. It doesn't run without money. Many times the traffic police themselves say, ‘Look, the money goes to the top. We don't keep it in our pockets.’ That is why after seeing the marka on our vehicles, we are immediately given the green signal. Many times even if the mark is removed, we get away by taking Bobby Bhai's name or making them talk to him.”
Local YouTuber Gulfam has filed multiple complaints and Right to Information applications about unauthorised vehicles in the area, but has received no response from the authorities. He says this is subtle evidence of collusion between the marka mafia and official regulatory authorities.
“The response should have been a simple yes or no, but instead, they replied that the requested information does not fall under the definition of information under Section 2(f) of the Right to Information Act,” said Gulfam.
“There are no rules for us,” said Ali. “You will not see any Eeco driver following the rules. I consider the police as nothing in front of Bobby Bhai. I don't know what he has fed the police. Because all our work is done just by taking Bobby's name, now I don't know whether he is an officer or some other big officer."
The auto circuit
Altogether, there are an estimated 5,000 autos in the Nand Nagri area. In total, more than Rs 76 lakh is extorted from the drivers by eight marka mafia who operate here. Our investigation suggests the highest extortion is from auto drivers. The rules being flouted by the auto drivers include illegal licence plates, a larger number of passengers than what is permitted by law, and underage drivers. The drivers feel compelled to break the law because it’s the only way they can eke out a living. Without the support of the marka mafia, they say it’s impossible to work as drivers.
The ‘fee’ for the route from Loni roundabout to Bhopura via Charkhamba is Rs 1,500 per month for each auto. Approximately 1,500 autos operate on this route and the marka is handled by Rajesh and Tanveer, who earn more than Rs 22 lakh from this route. Another route, with 650 autos, goes from Loni roundabout to Khajuri. Each driver pays Rs 1,500 to Alam, who makes more than Rs 9 lakh from the auto drivers.
The most expensive route – charging Rs 3,500 per auto – is from Loni roundabout to Loni Ghaziabad.
The route from Loni roundabout to Seelampur via Maujpur is managed by Nafees and Zakir. Two thousand autos go on this route and pay the duo Rs 1,000 a month, earning Nafees and Zakir approximately Rs 20 lakh. Seven hundred autos ply on the route from Loni roundabout to Shahdara. Captain is the marka agent here and charges a monthly payment of Rs 1,000.
The most expensive route – charging Rs 3,500 per auto – is from Loni roundabout to Loni Ghaziabad and it comes under Raju, who also goes by the alias Topi. Five hundred autos use this route, earning the marka mafia approximately Rs 17.5 lakh. The amount is highest here because the autos have UP licence plates and enter Delhi. Drivers said they’ve never faced any issues in Delhi despite the licence plates.
“The story of the marka is that if we do not put the marka, our vehicle will be stopped by the police,” Wasim told Newslaundry. “If it is stopped, it will cost us at least Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 to get it released. Because all these autos are being operated illegally. We are driving the vehicle with 6-7 passengers even though according to the rules, you cannot seat so many people.”
Regulations stipulate an auto can have up to four people (three passengers and one driver), but it has become common practice to squeeze at least four adults in the back and have passengers sharing the front seat with the driver. However, the police turn a blind eye to this violation of rules.
“The rule here is that from 1st to 10th, money has to be deposited and the mark has to be affixed,” said Wasim. “This is our compulsion, but our work is also going on because of them, and the work of the marka mafia and the police is also going on. Everyone is working together by contributing their small bit.”
“This is a vast network,” said a former marka agent who spoke to Newslaundry on condition of anonymity. “Marka mafias collect hefty sums, earn for themselves, and also generate significant money for the traffic police.” He worked in this line between 2013 and 2015, but lost his position because of “one mistake”. He has since been charged with extortion. “The police filed a case against me out of spite,” he said.
Jain pointed out that traffic police are selective in their implementation of existing rules and guidelines. “People not wearing helmets – particularly those transporting a sick person for treatment to GTB Hospital – get fined for violating rules. Yet, these same officers turn a blind eye to illegal vehicles such as Gramin Sewa autos, Eecos, e-rickshaws, and countless unauthorised vehicles operating right outside the same hospital,” he said.
Former traffic police head SN Srivastava said, “In my opinion, senior officers should adopt a stricter approach. I believe that these middlemen always exist. The officer might change, but the middleman remains. Their role is to connect the police with vehicle operators. Where officers are strict, these activities don’t occur, but where there’s leniency, these things persist. There are harmful elements in society, and it's crucial to eliminate them.”
We made many attempts to speak to traffic officials, but they either did not respond to our enquiries or avoided us. Deputy Commissioner of Police for North East Delhi Saurabh Chandra met us once, but refused to talk on record. He said he needed to take permission from his superiors to speak with Newslaundry and has since not been available due to his busy schedule.
Newslaundry has sent a questionnaire to DCP Chandra, the Northeast Delhi traffic ACP and special commissioner SS Yadav. This report will be updated if a response is received.
Srivastava said there are systems in place to crack down on the extortion carried out by taftishi and marka mafia. “There are vigilance teams whose job is to monitor the types of stickers on vehicles, identify the owners, and then take strict action against the responsible officers in those areas,” he said.
He recommended keeping vigilance over police officials who may be involved with those extorting drivers as well as conducting drives to identify and arrest members of the crime syndicates involved. “Simply put, maintaining strictness definitely brings improvement,” said Srivastava.
What Newslaundry found in Nand Nagri is not an exceptional case, but rather typical of how a section of the city’s public transport functions. The consequences upon people’s quality of life is felt in myriad ways, beginning with traffic jams and extending to economic loss. A CRRI estimated that Delhi loses about Rs 60,000 crore every year due to traffic jams. This reflects economic loss due to fuel, time, and pollution.
Srivastava’s suggestions may seem simple, but to implement them would require the police to not just dismantle an exploitative structure that has established itself as the norm, but also weed out collaborators within the force whose involvement ensures the syndicates thrive.
Drivers like Jitendra, Samir, Wasim and Parvez Ali hold out little expectation of change, having seen this system continue unhindered for decades. “Look, we are not very educated. We are poor people,” said Samir. “If we have to run the house, we have to do labour. This is the work we know, so we are doing this work.”
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