MUMBAI: Transporters across Maharashtra staged a statewide “chakka jam” on Thursday to protest against what they called “arbitrary and excessive” e-challans and other issues affecting the sector. They also warned of an indefinite strike starting at midnight.The Transport Commissioner’s office has directed all Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) to set up separate control rooms to monitor the protests and report any incidents that may affect law and order, an official said.After talks at the Maharashtra Transport Commissioner’s office on Wednesday evening failed to reach an agreement, the Maharashtra Transport Action Committee (M-TAC) announced that the strike would proceed as planned.According to M-TAC, protests will be held at Azad Maidan in Mumbai and outside RTO offices across the state before the indefinite strike begins.M-TAC stated that school buses, contract carriage buses, private buses, and commercial vehicles, including trucks, taxis, tempos, and tankers, would stay off the roads during the agitation. The transporters also threatened to bring vehicles to protest sites.Anil Garg, leader of the School Bus Owners Association, said on Wednesday that school buses across the state would not operate from Friday if the strike goes ahead, though services would continue on Thursday.Earlier this week, the Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik held a meeting with transporters at the MSRTC headquarters, but M-TAC described the talks as unfruitful due to what they called “hollow assurances” from the government.The minister Pratap Sarnaik had urged transporters to withdraw the agitation, saying the government was positive about cancelling “unjust” e-challans for parked vehicles and would take a favourable decision on the issue.A senior official said all RTOs have been instructed to keep control rooms active and alert authorities to any incidents that could affect law and order. RTOs must also submit daily reports by 5 pm detailing the strike’s impact on their jurisdiction, including passenger movement, essential commodities, preventive measures, and problems faced during the protest.M-TAC said the protest is aimed at stopping “arbitrary and excessive” electronic traffic enforcement and addressing the growing financial burden on transporters.The committee’s charter of demands, submitted earlier this year, seeks major reforms to the e-challan system, a waiver of pending fines, and reductions in taxes and toll charges on commercial vehicles.M-TAC leaders claimed that the e-challan system has caused difficulties not only for transport operators but also for regular vehicle owners.The committee has also requested the withdrawal or relaxation of a rule introduced in January 2026, which requires clearing e-challan penalties within 45 days, or else transporters face restrictions on essential services such as permit renewal, fitness certification, and other approvals.“As per Rule 468 and amended Rule 514 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, all time-barred e-challans should be cancelled if cases are not filed in court,” the charter of demands stated.The transporters have also asked for closure of highway check posts, the establishment of rest houses for drivers, and the provision of emergency services, fire tenders, parking lots, bus stops, and cargo loading and unloading facilities on highways.They have further demanded a review of repeated retrofitting of devices such as panic buttons, vehicle tracking systems, high-security registration plates, fire detection and suppression systems, and CCTV cameras, which they say are mandated under the pretext of safety.M-TAC also called for the suspension of abrupt “no entry” restrictions that create operational difficulties and urged the government to adopt a more consultative approach with the transport sector.
