The ongoing 3-day nationwide strike by truck, bus, and tanker drivers has entered its
second day today. Since yesterday, January 1, protestors have been blockading
roads and highways in states across the country. The states of Gujarat and Madhya
Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra have already been affected to varying degrees.
Across the nation, vehicles lined up outside petrol pumps as fuel supply was impacted.
in cities. The three-day strike has been launched by truck, bus, and tanker drivers as
protest against the stringent jail and fine regulations under the newly launched
Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) for hit-and-run cases. Under the new law, it replaces the
colonial-era Indian Penal Code, drivers who cause a serious road accident by
negligent driving and running away without informing the police or any official from the
administration can face punishment of up to 10 years or a fine of INR 7 lakh.
Disruption Of Traffic And Unavailability Of Fuel In Places
Scenes of disruption of the normal flow of traffic and unavailability of fuel in varying
degrees emerged from all over the country yesterday and today.
In Maharashtra, the state government has requested police to ensure an uninterrupted
supply of petrol and diesel. Commuters in Madhya Pradesh faced travel inconveniences.
today due to the ongoing strike.
A video from Bhopal that appeared on social media
This morning showed commuters expressing frustration regarding the inability of buses.
or taxis to travel to Indore after waiting for over 1–1.5 hours.
In Nagpur, drivers parked their trucks on the highway as a ‘rasta roko’ protest. Members
of various truck driver associations assembled at Samvidhan Chowk to protest.
Truck drivers were also seen protesting near the Ahmedabad-Baroda Express Way.
today. Protesters were seen obstructing highways in many districts of Gujarat, including
Kheda, Valsad, Gir Somnath, Bharuch, and Mehsana, by parking their vehicles and
setting up blockades yesterday. They temporarily blocked major routes, like the
Mehsana-Ambaji and Ahmedabad-Indore highways with burning tires, causing
disruptions.
In various locations, like the Mumbai-Agra National Highway and certain roads in
In Indore, drivers staged blockades, impacting vehicle movement and the distribution of
essential commodities.
Tapan Sharma, a former president of the Ahmedabad Motor Transport Association in
Gujarat informed us that protests were taking place spontaneously. “The association has
not called for a strike. Drivers are acting independently due to concerns about the new
law. They protest briefly and then move on. However, these sporadic demonstrations
have caused delays in the delivery of goods,” Sharma explained.
He claimed that business operations have not yet been significantly affected by drivers.
continued their work despite protests.
Concerned locals rushed to petrol pumps in various cities, anticipating disruptions in
fuel supply due to the agitation.
Long queues formed at petrol pumps in Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla and Dharamshala as
Drivers associated with the Transport Association joined the protest against the new
hit-and-run law. In Maharashtra, there was a heavy rush outside petrol pumps in Mumbai.
and Thane as local people rushed to fill their vehicle tanks, fearing a shortage of fuel.
amid the protest by truck drivers.
Petrol Dealers Association, Mumbai, President Chetan Modi told sources that the fuel
supply to petrol pumps was affected due to the drivers’ agitation since Monday. “Petrol
Pumps have been getting dry since yesterday. If we don’t get the supply, most of the
pumps will run out of fuel on Tuesday,” he said.
Several petrol pumps in Ludhiana have reportedly “run out of stock” due to the strike.
Long queues were also seen at petrol pumps in Chandigarh and Mohali as people
waited to refuel their vehicles.
The Food and Civil Supply Department of the Government of Maharashtra urged the
police to take appropriate measures to ensure an uninterrupted and smooth supply of
petrol, diesel, kerosene, and LPG cylinders in the state.
“MAKE ROADS OF SIMILAR STANDARD AS ADVANCED COUNTRIES BEFORE
IMPOSING LAWS AS THEM.”
Speaking for the protest movement, C. L. Mukati, chairman of the transport committee
of the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), said, “Before introducing stringent
provisions in hit-and-run accident cases akin to laws in other countries, the government
should prioritize improving road and transportation systems, similar to those seen in
foreign nations.”
The operation of roadway buses in Rajasthan faced disruption on Monday but resumed.
following police intervention.
Bengali