The truck drivers’ associations called off their nationwide protest against the new penal provisions regarding hit-and-run cases in the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said Tuesday. This came after the Ministry of Home Affairs held discussions with representatives of the All India Motor Transport Congress on January 2, the second day of the strike.
During the discussion, the Centre Tuesday clarified that the new laws and provisions regarding hit-and-run cases in the newly-launched Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) has not yet come into force, and the decision to invoke them will be taken only after consultation with the All India Motor Transport Congress.
The second day of the strike saw vehicles lined up outside petrol pumps as fuel supply was impacted in cities across the country. The three-day strike was launched by truck, bus and tanker drivers to protest against the stringent jail and fine regulations under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita for hit-and-run cases.
In Maharashtra, the state government has requested police to ensure an uninterrupted supply of petrol and diesel. Meanwhile, commuters in Madhya Pradesh encountered travel inconvenience on Tuesday due to ongoing strikes.
Due to the ongoing strike by fuel-tanker drivers, leading to limited supply of petrol and diesel in Chandigarh, the District Magistrate has imposed temporary restrictions on fuel sales at local stations. Effective immediately, two-wheelers will be able to get only 2 liters and four-wheelers 5 liters per transaction.
Since Monday, protestors have blockaded roads and highways across states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and MP. Concerned locals hurried to petrol pumps in various cities, fearing disruptions in fuel supply due to the agitation.
Under the new law, which replaced the colonial era Indian Penal Code, drivers who cause a serious road accident by negligent driving and run away without informing the police or any official from the administration can face punishment of up to 10 years or a fine of Rs 7 lakh.
A video circulating on social media from Bhopal this morning captured commuters expressing frustration over the inability to find buses or taxis for travel to Indore after waiting for 1-1.5 hours.
Petrol pumps run dry
Meanwhile, lengthy queues formed at petrol pumps in Himachal’s Shimla and Dharamshala as drivers associated with the Transport Association protested against the new hit-and-run law on Tuesday.
In Maharashtra, heavy rush was seen outside petrol pumps in Mumbai and Thane as people came to fill up their vehicle tanks fearing shortage of fuel amid the protest by truck drivers.
Petrol Dealers Association, Mumbai, president Chetan Modi told PTI that the fuel supply to petrol pumps was affected due to the drivers’ agitation since Monday. “Petrol pumps started getting dry since yesterday. If we won’t get the supply, most of the pumps will run out of fuel from today,” he said.
In Nagpur drivers parked their trucks on the highway amid ‘rasta roko’ protest and members of various truck driver associations gathered at Samvidhan Chowk to stage a protest.
Meanwhile, due to the strike, several petrol pumps in Punjab’s Ludhiana have reportedly “run out of stock”. Heavy rush was also seen at petrol pumps in Chanidgarh and Mohali as people waited to refuel their vehicles.
Truck drivers were also seen protesting near the Ahmedabad-Baroda Expressway on Tuesday.
Protesters obstructed highways in several districts of Gujarat, including Kheda, Valsad, Gir Somnath, Bharuch, and Mehsana, by parking vehicles and setting up blockades on Monday. They temporarily blocked major routes like the Mehsana-Ambaji and Ahmedabad-Indore highways with burning tires, causing disruptions.
Tapan Sharma, a former president of the Ahmedabad Motor Transport Association in Gujarat, told PTI that the protests occurred 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 added that business operations had not yet been significantly affected as drivers continued their work despite protests.
In Maharashtra, the Food and Civil Supply Department urged the police to take necessary measures to ensure a smooth and uninterrupted supply of petrol, diesel, kerosene, and LPG cylinders.
In an interview with PTI, C L Mukati, chairman of the transport committee of 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. In various locations like the Mumbai-Agra National Highway and certain roads in Indore, drivers staged blockades, impacting vehicle movement and the distribution of essential commodities.
Uttarakhand: Auto and Vikram tempo drivers join strike; long queues at petrol pumps across districts
The truck drivers’ strike caused petrol pumps to run dry or be on the verge of depletion in Uttarakhand on Tuesday. Long queues were seen at various petrol pumps in capital city Dehradun and other districts.
Meanwhile, auto and Vikram tempo drivers also joined the protest against the newly-introduced penal provisions regarding hit-and-run cases. They announced they will be striking on January 2 and 3, causing transportation issues for the public.
Disruptions were most noticeable in Haridwar, where the strike by e-rickshaw and auto drivers caused problems for individuals who had gathered to bathe in the Ganga and seek blessings on New Year’s Day.
Efforts by a handful of drivers to operate were stopped by fellow union members, resulting in a day-long commotion on the roads. Throughout the protest, the drivers pressed for the law’s withdrawal.
Punjab: Moga DC says, ‘Don’t panic’
Meanwhile, in Punjab, Moga deputy commissioner Kulwant Singh said that there is no need to worry about fuel supply in the district as the administration was keeping a close vigil on the situation. He also said that supply of fuel would be ensured and people should not panic buying.
The DC, while presiding over a meeting with representatives of oil companies including Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited in the district administrative complex said that these companies had been asked to ensure the supply of fuel and LPG remain unaffected due to the strike of transporters through internal arrangements.
He said that the district administration would offer every kind of support to the companies in facilitating the supply to the fuel stations.
He said that the Punjab government was holding talks with the appropriate authorities and striking transporters to resolve the issue promptly.
He also warned that any kind of hoarding by the petrol pumps or anyone will not be tolerated. He clarified that a reserve quota of oil and gas has been kept for essential services in Moga district.
When laws are formulated without consultation, they will face opposition: BKU’s Rakesh Tikait
Extending support to the truck drivers’ protes, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait
said that when laws are formulated without any consultation with stakeholders, they face opposition in the form of protests/
He also dubbed the stringent provisions in the BNS for hit-and-run cases as “kaala kanoon” (black law).
“Either the mob will kill him or the law will kill him. If something is done without consultation, it was bound to face opposition. We are all with them (transporters). The union (BKU) is with them because these people belong to families of villagers, farmers, tribals. The poor who work far away from their homes to earn a livelihood,” Tikait said in a video posted on X by BKU’s state youth president Anuj Singh.
He further alleged that the law will negatively affect India’s small transporters. ”
Big companies will come in. Goods will be transported on rail lines more. How many people who are linked to this system go jobless? This is a dangerous system,” Tikait said.
“The government has brought in a black law. Will big private companies come into the transport sector here? Is it their conspiracy or is it a conspiracy by insurance companies?” he further asked.
“Today, car owners are not saying anything about it. Will this law not apply to them? This law will apply to them also and will they wake up only later?” he added.
