PUNE The statewide transport strike saw over 60% participation on the very first day on Wednesday, severely impacting the movement of essential goods including foodgrains. The strike, led by various transport unions, has been called to press key demands such as revoking the ban on heavy vehicles entering city limits, withdrawal of penalties issued via the e-challan system, cancellation of previously issued fines, and easing the mandatory requirement of having a cleaner in every vehicle.
The strike had a pronounced effect across industrial zones such as Chakan, Nigdi and Hinjewadi where cargo transport operations ground to a halt. Private bus operators have already expressed solidarity and other organisations including school transport operators joined the strike from Thursday, which could lead to a near-total shutdown of transport services across Maharashtra.
On Wednesday, freight movement in major industrial areas like Mumbai, Thane, Panvel, Navi Mumbai, Chakan, Nigdi, and Pimpri was completely disrupted. Pune’s Market Yard, a major foodgrains’ hub, saw transport activities cease while transportation of petrol and LPG was also stopped.
On behalf of the striking unions, Baba Shinde, president of the Maharashtra Goods Transport Representative Federation, said, “If private and school bus operators join from Thursday as expected, the strike will become 100% successful.”
Rajan Junavane, president of the Pune Bus and Car Owners Association, also voiced his support for the cause. “For the past several months, the state government and administration have imposed penalties worth thousands of crores via e-challans without justification. In protest, the All-India Motor Transport Congress and Transporters’ Protection Committee have called for this strike. Our association fully supports it. We recently met the chief minister in Mumbai, who asked us to wait for eight days. We will honour that request, and our vehicles will continue operating with black ribbons as a mark of protest. However, if our demands are not accepted within that timeframe, we too will join the strike.”
Balasaheb Khedekar, president of the Pune District Luxury Bus Association, highlighted that some government assurances have been given recently. “In a recent meeting held in Mumbai, the government agreed not to recover fines issued more than a month ago and promised to refrain from unjustly issuing new ones. It also committed to soon releasing a notification regarding designated areas for pick-up and drop within and outside city limits. If the notification is released by Thursday, July 3, we will not join the strike. Otherwise, we too will stop operations starting Thursday night,” he said.
As the protest gathers momentum, all eyes are now on the government’s next move. If no resolution is achieved by Thursday, the participation of private and school transport operators could lead to a near-total shutdown of transport services across the state.
