Transport operators in Maharashtra set for Statewide strike from Thursday; demand rollback of e-challan system

Maharashtra transport operators plan a statewide strike, demanding the rollback of the e-challan system amid unresolved grievances.

The Maharashtra Transporters Action Committee (M-TAC) — a coalition representing truck, tempo, bus, taxi, and auto-rickshaw operators — has reiterated its call for an indefinite strike from Thursday (March 5, 2026), following a breakdown in talks with the State government. The decision, announced after a meeting on Sunday, threatens to paralyse both commercial and public transport across Maharashtra.

At the heart of the agitation is a slew of grievances, with the administration of e-challans emerging as the primary flashpoint. Malkit Singh Bal, a Mumbai-based logistics entrepreneur and former president of the All India Motor Transport Congress, articulated the sector’s demands, emphasising that the current system has become a tool of harassment rather than a mechanism for ensuring road safety.

Mr. Bal, who was part of the high-level committee constituted to address these issues, expressed frustration over the government’s inaction. He stated that despite the panel submitting a comprehensive report with recommendations on December 17, not a single reform has been implemented.

Among the key demands put forth by M-TAC is the immediate withdrawal of the new e-challan rules issued by the Central government in January 2026. The transporters are also demanding the cancellation of all pending e-challans older than 90 days, arguing that the committee formed during their June 2025 agitation failed to deliver a concrete resolution. “The traffic police must focus on regulation and discipline, not on revenue collection,” Mr. Bal asserted, calling for an end to what they describe as forceful roadside recovery of fines.

The association is also seeking legal amendments to Sections 177 and 200(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act concerning compounding fees. They contend that, as per the Code of Criminal Procedure, all time-barred challans not produced before a court within the limitation period must be scrapped. A significant demand is to shift the liability for traffic offences from the vehicle owner to the specific driver, with violations being recorded directly on the driver’s licence.

Beyond the e-challan system, the transporters have raised red flags over sudden and impractical “No Entry” restrictions. They have called for a consultative policy to replace what they term as arbitrary curbs that cause severe hardship to the movement of goods.