Mumbai, March 2 The Maharashtra Transporters Action Committee (M-TAC), representing truckers, private bus operators, as well as taxi and auto-rickshaw unions, reiterated its call for an indefinite statewide agitation starting March 5.
As part of the strike, school buses, contract carriage buses, private buses, and commercial vehicles, including trucks, tempos, taxis, and tankers, would remain off the roads during the indefinite agitation, M-TAC leaders said.
They said there was no concrete assurance on their demands in the meeting convened during the day by Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik at the Mumbai Central headquarters of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). The meeting was attended by Transport Commissioner Rajesh Narvekar and senior police officials.
In an official release, Sarnaik asked the transporters to withdraw their agitation, saying the government was positive about cancelling "unjust" e-challans issued to parked vehicles and would take a favourable decision in this regard.
A joint meeting of the transport department, police administration, and representatives of transport unions has been convened for March 5 to address their grievances, he said.
"The sentiments of transporters regarding e-challans are very strong. There have been complaints that e-challans are being issued arbitrarily to vehicles parked in lots and, in some cases, by staff without proper authorisation. This is unjust. Strict instructions have been issued that only authorised officers should initiate e-challan action," Sarnaik said.
He further stated that the government was open to reviewing and cancelling previously issued unjust e-challans and urged unions to suspend the strike until the March 5 meeting.
M-TAC said the agitation is due to the "arbitrary and excessive" electronic traffic enforcement and the mounting financial burden on the sector.
M-TAC representatives said they were not satisfied with the assurances and would proceed with the indefinite agitation from March 5 across Maharashtra.
M-TAC leader Harsh Kotak said the transport minister had offered only "hollow assurances".
"The committee is firm on going ahead with the indefinite agitation. Around one lakh transporters from across the state will reach Azad Maidan in Mumbai with their vehicles on March 5 and start the agitation from midnight if the state government fails to take a concrete decision," Kotak said.
Dr Keshav Kshirsagar, president of Maharashtra Kamgar Sabha and leader of a union representing gig workers, including app-based taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers, told