Transporters’ unions in Maharashtra are going ahead with a statewide ‘chakka jam’ agitation today (March 5) to protest the e-challan system and related issues, alleging the government has not taken a concrete decision despite meetings with officials. The agitation is being led by the Maharashtra Transport Action Committee (M-TAC).
According to the transporters’ body, a meeting convened by the state Transport Commissioner to discuss the e-challan issue did not result in any “firm assurance” from the government side. “Since the state government is not treating the matter seriously, a state-level agitation would be held across Maharashtra from Thursday,” Baba Shinde, a transporters’ leader from Pune, was quoted as saying, as quoted by PTI.
In Mumbai, the protest is scheduled to take place at Azad Maidan at 11 am, while demonstrations are also planned outside Regional Transport Office (RTO) premises in every district, M-TAC said.
What is the main reason behind the strike?
M-TAC has described the e-challan enforcement regime as “arbitrary and excessive”, saying it has increased the financial burden on the transport sector and impacted ordinary vehicle owners too. The committee has claimed the issue concerns about 1.5 million transport operators in Maharashtra, and also affects private vehicle owners, with penalties linked to e-challans running into thousands of crores.
As per a report by NDTV, transporter groups have sought written assurances, including an official government resolution, and raised concerns such as multiple challans for the same offence and “no parking” penalties where parking infrastructure is inadequate.
What services could be affected?
M-TAC said autorickshaw, taxi, bus and truck operators are expected to participate in today’s agitation. The transporters have also announced an indefinite strike from midnight, and that school buses, contract carriage buses, private buses and commercial vehicles (including trucks, tempos, taxis and tankers) could remain off roads during the indefinite agitation.
Anil Garg, a leader of the School Bus Owners Association, said school bus services across Maharashtra would remain unaffected on Thursday, but warned that they may stop operating from Friday if the indefinite strike proceeds. “School buses across the state would not operate from Friday if the indefinite strike happens,” Garg said, as reported by PTI.
Key demands: What are transporters asking for?
As per PTI, M-TAC’s demand charter includes:
- Reforms in the e-challan system.
- Waiver of pending fines and action on what transporters call unjust challans.
- Reduction in taxes and toll charges for commercial vehicles.
- Withdrawal or relaxation of a proposed amendment (January 2026) that requires clearing e-challan penalties within 45 days, failing which restrictions could apply for permit renewal/fitness and other approvals.
- Closure of highway check posts.
- Rest houses or centres for drivers, emergency support on highways, and facilities like parking lots, bus stops, cargo loading and unloading zones
- Review of repeated retrofitting requirements such as panic buttons, vehicle location tracking devices, high-security registration plates, fire detection, suppression systems, and CCTV
- Review of abrupt “no entry” restrictions affecting operations.
Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik had appealed to transporters to withdraw the agitation and said the government was “positive” about cancelling “unjust” e-challans issued to parked vehicles, but the unions said they were not satisfied with assurances.