Mumbai: Transporters in Maharashtra have decided to go on an indefinite strike from midnight of Thursday to protest against the e-challan scheme of the state transport department. However, Shashank Rao, leader of taximen's and autorickshaw men's union, said members of his organisation will not join the protest.
Stalemate in Government Talks
Malkit Singh Bal, advisor, All India Motor Transport Congress- Maharashtra told FPJ on Wednesday evening that talks with the transport commissioner Rajesh Narvekar have ended in a stalemate. He said the transporters have no option but to go ahead with their protest." He said a mass rally of truckers will be held at Azad Maidan on Thursday and from midnight the trucks will be parked on whichever road they are at that time. He said the government was solely responsible for the consequences.
He said transporters have been slapped with hundreds of crores of fine through e-challans for imaginary violation of traffic rules. ``Even when a trucker is not in Maharashtra on the day of traffic offence, he has been asked to cough up fines," Bal stated. He said the transport industry was already reeling under high fuel costs and the e-challan penalties further added to their woes. Bal claimed that the Western Indian Automobile Association has endorsed his organisation's demand. However, there was no confirmation from the WIAA.
Motorists Echo Concerns Over Lack of Proof
A motorist Raju Shelke said he was asked to pay a fine of Rs 2,000 for stopping his car on a zebra crossing. But when he asked for photographic evidence, the police said they had no photo of the violation. Senior Congress MLA Amin Patel, who raised the issue in the legislative assembly, said motorists and truckers are being fleeced through e-challans. He said no one had objection to paying fines. But the traffic officials should back up the e-challans with proof. ``Fines should not be levied arbitrarily," he added. A motorist, who wished to remain anonymous, said ``the state government's coffers are running dry because of populist schemes like `Ladki Bahin.' Hence it is trying to raise funds arbitrarily through e-challans. Forest minister Ganesh Naik has suggested the cutting of teak trees to raise funds."
Bal alleged that traffic police were forcefully trying to collect fines on the basis of e-challans and thus exceeding their brief.
He said a mass rally of truckers will be held at Azad Maidan on Thursday and from midnight the trucks will be parked on which ever road they are at that time. He said the government was solely responsible for the consequences.
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