Mumbai: From the strike of Midnight on July 1, the truckers in Maharashtra began an indefinite strike against the e-challan system, seeking solutions for longstanding issues, which significantly affected goods transport across the state.
The Vahatukdar Bachao Kruti Sanghatana, which represents transporters, called for the strike, claiming that harsh recovery methods and increasing fines are damaging their business.
Demands Of The Truckers
Transporters demand an end to the recovery of forced e-challan fines, the cancellation of e-challans that are more than six months old, waiving of current penalties, removal of the obligatory cleaner regulation for heavy vehicles, and a review of no-entry schedules in urban regions.
Uday Barge, the convener of the action committee, observed a varied reaction on the initial day of the strike, anticipating higher involvement after the afternoon, with projections of 1.5 to 2 lakh trucks not operating, especially in the Kalbadevi region of Mumbai.
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Maharashtra Government Takes Action
In reaction to the strike, the state government has established a 10-member committee consisting of officials from traffic and motor vehicle departments, as well as leaders from transport associations, aimed at tackling the issues presented by truckers. The committee is anticipated to submit its report in one month. Minister Pratap Sarnaik had previously consented to establish this committee after a prior sit-in protest from June 16 to 24, which concluded with commitments to discuss and address the concerns.
Goods Transport To Take Hit
Even though earlier meetings showed a strong commitment, transporters opted to go on strike because there was no progress on rescinding old e-challan fines, especially highlighting comparable decisions taken by the Uttar Pradesh government. This persistent turmoil creates worries regarding the availability of vital products.
On another hand, the school and urban transport service groups are calling for a delay in their strikes, referencing assurances from government representatives that their issues will be addressed first. The issue is still ongoing as the strike persists in affecting transportation services throughout Maharashtra.
