Bus, truck operators threaten to go on indefinite strike from July 1

Stating their issues, transporters said that they are forced to pay penalties and e-challans while the vehicles are on duty, which causes delays and affects their schedule and punctuality

Pune/ Mumbai Road transport operators have threatened to go on an indefinite strike starting on July 1 if their demands regarding e-challans, fines, cleanliness regulations, and entry restrictions in metropolitan cities are not met by June 30. The strike, likely to impact school buses, employee bus services, intra state buses, truck operators, and other road services, could bring the state’s road movement of goods and passengers to a halt.

The strike, likely to impact school buses, employee bus services, intra state buses, truck operators, and other road services, could bring the state’s road movement of goods and passengers to a halt. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

Stating their issues, transporters said that they are forced to pay penalties and e-challans while the vehicles are on duty, which causes delays and affects their schedule and punctuality.

Speaking about the protest Baba Shinde, president of the Maharashtra drivers-owners and representatives federation said, “If the state government fails to meet our demands by July 1, we will begin an indefinite chakka jam across Maharashtra from July 2. This decision was taken unanimously during the meeting.”

They sought a waiver of the existing fines, and demanded the removal of the rule which mandates the presence of a helper in heavy vehicles. They also wanted the state to do away with ‘no-entry’ timings in cities.

Since June 16, representatives of the association of transporters have been on an indefinite sit-in protest at the Azad Maidan in South Mumbai, but their issues remain unaddressed. On Wednesday, the Vahatukdar Bachao Kruti Samiti (VBKS), a group of transporters, announced an indefinite strike against the ‘unjust’ implementation of e-challans in the state, heavy traffic violation penalties, and asked the state to resolve gaps in its transport infrastructure. Murad Naik from the Mumbai Bus Malak Sanghatana (MBMS) said, “Various passenger transport organisations have decided to launch an indefinite protest if the state government continues to ignore our grievances.”