Truckers go on strike against e-challans in Maharashtra; transporters' body reports 'mixed response'
The transporters have complained the recovery process by authorities has become aggressive and is disrupting business operations, besides mounting fines of e-challans.
The
Vahatukdar Bachao Kruti Sanghatana
, an action committee of transporters' associations, gave the strike call.
While the truckers began the strike from midnight, bus operators have deferred their participation for the next few days.
"The strike has received a mixed response as it is the first day, but the situation will be different post-afternoon," claimed Uday Barge, convener of the action committee.
He said 1.5 lakh and 2 lakh trucks and other goods-carrying vehicles in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra would go off roads due to the strike.
Barge claimed all trucks were off roads in Mumbai's business hub Kalbadevi, while in other areas, members of transport associations were using "Gandhigiri" to persuade transporters to join the strike.
The transporters' demands include stopping forceful recovery of
e-challan fines
, cancellation of e-challans older than six months, waiving existing penalties, scrapping the mandatory cleaner rule for heavy vehicles, and reconsidering no-entry timings in metro cities.
In view of the strike call, the state government has formed a 10-member committee comprising senior officers from the Mumbai traffic police, highway police and motor vehicles department, along with leaders of transport associations, to look into the issue.
The committee will submit its report within a month, according to a Government Resolution (GR) issued late Tuesday night.
Maharashtra Transport Minister
Pratap Sarnaik on June 26 assured the formation of the committee to look into the transporters' demands.
The transporters earlier staged an indefinite sit-in protest from June 16 at Mumbai's Azad Maidan to press for their demands.
They called off the protest on June 24 after Industries Minister Uday Samant assured them a meeting would be convened to resolve their issues.
During the meeting held the following day, Sarnaik and Samant promised the formation of a committee to examine the demands.
However, the transporters remained firm on their decision for the strike in July, citing lack of relief regarding the withdrawal of e-challans older than six months.
"As the Uttar Pradesh government has waived old fines issued through e-challans in their state, the Maharashtra government should also consider taking a similar move," Kailas Pingle, president of Maharashtra Rajya Motor Malak Sangh, which has also extended support to the strike, said on Tuesday.
However, a leader of one of the bodies of bus operators on Tuesday said Chief Minister Eknath Fadnavis requested the bus operators not to go on strike to avoid troubles for the warkaris (devotees of Lord Vitthal), as Ashadi Ekadashi is just a few days away.
Hence they decided to postpone their participation in the strike for a few days, he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Print
2 hours ago
- The Print
Earlier government order did not ban meat sale on August 15: Awhad
While the Opposition has criticised the order, the ruling BJP has defended it, citing a 1988 state government resolution (GR) empowering civic bodies to impose such restrictions. Speaking to reporters in Solapur, Awhad also asked who gave municipal bodies the right to decide what should a citizen eat and when. Pune, Aug 13 (PTI) Amid the row over a few civic bodies in Maharashtra ordering closure of meat shops and abattoirs on August 15, NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad on Wednesday claimed that an earlier order only spoke of closure of slaughter houses, but did not ban meat sale. Awhad said people belonging to the middle class and the poor generally consume meat on certain days like Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. 'Since August 15 is a holiday, people generally wake up at leisure, buy meat and enjoy it together as a family. It is a tradition,' the former minister said. As the BJP-led government has failed to bring about development, there is an attempt to increase communal disharmony by creating such issues, Awhad alleged. Municipal corporations of Nagpur, Nashik, Malegaon, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Kalyan-Dombivli have issued orders directing closure of slaughterhouses and meat shops on Independence Day. Some of them have said these facilities will remain shut on certain other days, too, in view of Hindu and Jain festivals. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has also questioned the directive. PTI SPK KRK This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
News18
5 hours ago
- News18
'Decision In Place Since 1988': Fadnavis Clarifies Amid Row Over Independence Day Meat Ban
Last Updated: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis cited a 1988 state government resolution empowering civic bodies to impose such restrictions After nearly half a dozen civic bodies in Maharashtra ordered closure of meat shops and abattoirs on Independence Day, the BJP made a clarification amid an intensifying controversy over the move. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis cited a 1988 state government resolution (GR) empowering civic bodies to impose such restrictions. He said this is not a new decision and has been in place since 1988, also existing when the Uddhav Thackeray-led government was in power. He said the state government is not interested in policing people's food choices, but did not make it clear if the ban will be removed. 'This decision has been in place since 1988, we have not made any new decision. Even when Uddhav Thackeray was the chief minister, this decision existed, and it is still in place now. We have not taken any new decision," Fadnavis told reporters. Watch the video here: Municipal corporations in Nagpur, Nashik, Malegaon, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Kalyan-Dombivli have issued orders directing closure of slaughterhouses and meat shops within their jurisdiction on August 15. Some of them have said these facilities will remain shut on certain other days, too, in view of Hindu and Jain festivals. view comments First Published: August 13, 2025, 20:51 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
NDTV
5 hours ago
- NDTV
Order In Place Since 1988: Devendra Fadnavis On Row Over Independence Day Meat Ban
Mumbai: Breaking his silence after a furore over some civic bodies in Maharashtra asking meat shops and slaughterhouses to remain shut on Independence Day, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said the order is not new and has been in place since 1988. Responding to questions on the ban by municipal corporations in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Amravati and Kalyan-Dombivli, among others, and criticism from several leaders - including Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar - Mr Fadnavis said he found out about the ban through media reports and his government has no interest in telling people what they can or cannot eat. "First of all, this state government has not taken any such decision. This decision has been in effect here in Maharashtra since 1988 and a government resolution (GR) regarding this was issued. Even I wasn't aware of the ban initially - I only came to know about this through the media. When I looked into it, I asked several municipal corporations why they had taken such a decision. They sent me the 1988 GR and also informed me that they have been issuing such circulars every year since then," the BJP leader said on Wednesday. "In fact, even when Uddhav Thackeray was the chief minister, they took the same decision. They also sent me a copy of that decision, which I can share with you anytime. Ultimately, the government has no interest in deciding what someone should eat. We have many other important issues in front of us. That's why I feel that unnecessarily creating controversy over a decision taken in 1988, and now projecting it as if our government has taken this decision, is wrong," he added. The chief minister also said people should not be calling others names because of their choice of food. "Some people are also calling vegetarians 'impotent'. If things are reaching such a level, this nonsense must stop. Whether one is vegetarian or non-vegetarian, in our country, as long as the Constitution allows it, everyone has the right to live and eat what they want... This decision was not taken by our government, it was taken by the previous governments," Mr Fadnavis said. 'Wrong To Impose Ban' Earlier in the day, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar of the NCP had also joined the chorus of voices speaking out against the ban and said accepting it is "difficult". "It is wrong to impose such a ban. In major cities, people of different castes and religions reside. If it is an emotional issue, then people accept it (ban) for a day. But if you issue such orders for Maharashtra Day, Independence Day and Republic Day, then it is difficult," Mr Pawar said. Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Aaditya Thackeray also said civic bodies are focusing on the wrong issues. "What we eat on Independence Day is our right, our freedom. They cannot tell us whether to eat. In our house, even during Navratri, our prasad has prawns and fish because this is our tradition. This is our 'Hindutva'. Why are you entering our homes? The municipal corporation should focus on issues such as potholes on roads," he said. Several parties, including the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), and the Congress, have said they will carry out a protest against the ban in Kalyan if the order is not withdrawn by the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation. Similar protests have been planned even by the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP and the Republican Party of India (Athawale), which are part of the ruling coalition in Maharashtra.
