The All India Motor Transport Congress has announced a strike in opposition to certain provisions within a forthcoming law that has not yet been implemented.
The nationwide protest against the recently implemented Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) continued into its second day, with transport associations and drivers participating in a widespread strike. This led to disruptions in fuel supplies and resulted in lengthy queues at petrol pumps across several cities.
The BNS, a replacement for the colonial-era Indian Penal Code, has implemented stricter consequences for hit-and-run incidents, specifically aiming at drivers involved in severe accidents who flee without notifying authorities. According to this updated legislation, those accountable for such actions could confront a maximum of 10 years behind bars and a substantial fine of ₹7 lakh.
In light of the ongoing protest, the Maharashtra government has called upon the police to guarantee a continuous flow of petrol, diesel, and LPG cylinders to prevent possible shortages.
Authorities have observed that the strike has interrupted the distribution of LPG cylinders to the market. Truck drivers involved in the strike are said to be abstaining from reporting to the plant, which is impeding the distribution process.
The repercussions reach far beyond just LPG, impacting essential petroleum items like petrol, diesel, and kerosene, as highlighted in the correspondence sent by the Maharashtra Food, Civil Supply, and Consumer Protection Department to all police commissioners and superintendents of police.
On Monday, demonstrators strategically positioned vehicles to obstruct highways passing through Kheda, Valsad, Gir Somnath, Bharuch, and Mehsana districts in Gujarat, resulting in disruptions along key routes like the Mehsana-Ambaji highway in Mehsana and the Ahmedabad-Indore highway in Kheda. Instances of burning tires on crucial roads briefly halted traffic, leading to delays and a 10-kilometer traffic backlog on the Ahmedabad-Vadodara highway near Kanera village.
In Rajasthan, the protests extended to various parts, causing traffic congestion on major highway routes such as the Dholpur-Karauli, Udaipur-Nathdwara, Sawai Madhopur-Kota Lalsot, Bhilwara-Ajmer, and Anupgarh-Ganganagar routes.
Ashutosh Awana, the spokesperson for the Rajasthan State Roadways Transport Corporation, addressed the recent protests, acknowledging the resulting traffic congestions on multiple routes. He noted that the demonstrations had initially disrupted the operation of roadways buses but emphasized that normal services had resumed following police intervention.
Assuring the public, Awana stated that despite the ongoing protests by transporters, the functioning of roadways buses in the area would remain unaffected.
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