Pune: Transporters will halt operations across the city from Thursday, claiming that the new rule of the e-challan system is flawed. Passenger buses, office transport vehicles, and trucks will not ply, while autorickshaws and taxis will continue operations. School bus and van transporters stated they were unlikely to take part in the protest as examinations were underway and the strike would severely impact students. Transport operators argued that a new Central govt rule—under which a driver’s licence can be suspended if an e-challan remains unpaid for 45 days, along with other penalties—is illegal. They also claimed that the state govt has failed to support them.Kiran Desai, working president of the Pune Bus and Car Owners Association, said members would surrender their vehicles to authorities on Thursday. “If no resolution is reached, we plan to begin an indefinite strike. Similar protests are taking place across the state,” Desai said. “The rule was introduced in Jan and mandates that the driver will lose their licence, and also documents like fitness certificates and permits will not be issued or renewed if fines are not paid within 45 days. The govt is enforcing new regulations without first providing adequate infrastructure to transporters,” Desai said.“We have met the state transport minister, Pratap Sarnaik, who acknowledged that the rule was unfair but did not provide us with a solution. We would protest outside the collector’s office and surrender our vehicles, even though it could cause traffic congestion, but we are helpless,” Desai told TOI.Baba Shinde, president of the Maharashtra State Vahan Chalak Malak Pratinidhi Mahasangh, stated that implementation of the rule lies with the state govt.“The state govt can delay implementation of the rule and negotiate with the Centre, but that has not been done. According to an estimate, unpaid e-challans across the state amount to Rs4,600 crore. Under the Motor Vehicles Act, if an e-challan is not presented in court within 90 days, it is considered null and void,” Shinde said, adding that transporters are already facing financial losses, and paying such large sums is unrealistic. In Pune district alone, around 45,000 trucks and trailers may stop operating if the state govt fails to intervene.On Wednesday, Sarnaik urged transport unions to reconsider the strike, assuring them that the govt is working toward a fair solution regarding e-challans. Nitin Pawar, general secretary of Rickshaw Panchayat, expressed solidarity with the protest but confirmed that autorickshaws would not join the strike. “We will be present during the agitation for a few hours, and services might be briefly disrupted. However, we will not go on a strike as it will affect many, including students,” Pawar said. Keshav Kshirsagar, president of Baghtoy Rickshawaala, supported the agitation but ruled out a strike for the time being. “The PTP app by Pune traffic police is another problem. It enables citizens to report traffic violations by uploading photographs, resulting in the issuance of e-challans. The app could be misused for personal grudges, and the police must stop it,” he told TOI.
