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Transporters oppose additional digital payment charges
They said that any additional charges on such transactions would directly add to the operating costs of transporters who are already facing growing expenses.
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Pune -
Maharashtra transporters have urged union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to reconsider the proposed additional charges on digital payments, reasoning that the move could increase the financial burden on the goods and passenger transport sector. In a representation, state transporters said that commercial vehicles regularly travel across different parts of the country and depend on digital payment systems for fuel purchases, toll payments and other transactions during their journeys. They said that any additional charges on such transactions would directly add to the operating costs of transporters who are already facing growing expenses.
Baba Shinde, president of the Maharashtra Drivers-Owners and Representatives Federation and a national executive member of the All-India Motor Transport Congress, said that transport operators should not be burdened with additional charges for routine transactions. “Goods and passenger vehicles travel long distances and make frequent payments for fuel, toll and other services. Even a small additional charge on every transaction can become a significant expense when multiplied across hundreds of trips and thousands of vehicles. Transporters are already dealing with increasing fuel, maintenance, insurance and other operational costs. The government should consider the practical difficulties faced by drivers and vehicle owners before imposing any additional financial burden,” he said.
Transporters also pointed out that digital payments can become difficult in areas where mobile networks are weak or frequently unavailable. According to them, when a digital transaction fails at a fuel station, toll plaza or other location, drivers may have to wait for the network to return or arrange an alternative mode of payment. This can result in loss of time, delays in deliveries, and additional operating expenses.
A transport vehicle owner Gajana Jondhale said, “Drivers often travel through rural and remote areas where network connectivity is not reliable. If a payment gets stuck while refuelling or crossing a toll plaza, the vehicle and driver may have to wait. Such delays affect the entire trip and increase fuel and other costs. If additional charges are also imposed on digital transactions, the overall burden on transport operators will increase further.”
The transporters have therefore requested the union government to take into consideration the ground-level difficulties faced by the sector and examine concessions or relief for commercial vehicle operators, particularly for payments related to fuel and toll.
