With the nationwide transportation strike entering its second day on Tuesday, vehicles lined up outside petrol pumps as fuel supply was impacted in cities across the country. The three-day strike was launched by truck, bus and tanker drivers to protest against the stringent jail and fine regulations under the newly-launched Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) for hit-and-run cases.
In Maharashtra, the state government has requested police to ensure an uninterrupted supply of petrol and diesel. Meanwhile, commuters in Madhya Pradesh encountered travel inconvenience on Tuesday due to ongoing strikes.
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Due to the ongoing strike by fuel-tanker drivers, leading to limited supply of petrol and diesel in Chandigarh, the District Magistrate has imposed temporary restrictions on fuel sales at local stations. Effective immediately, two-wheelers will be able to get only 2 litres and four-wheelers 5 litres per transaction.
Since Monday, protestors have blockaded roads and highways across states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and MP. Concerned locals hurried to petrol pumps in various cities, fearing disruptions in fuel supply due to the agitation.
#WATCH | Visuals from Navi Mumbai amid a nationwide truckers’ strike against the stringent jail and fine regulations under the newly-launched Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) for hit-and-run cases
Video by Narendra Vaskar
Read here: https://t.co/gVEjqyBZ5q pic.twitter.com/hak5otwGkp
Under the new law, which replaced the colonial era Indian Penal Code, drivers who cause a serious road accident by negligent driving and run away without informing the police or any official from the administration can face punishment of up to 10 years or a fine of Rs 7 lakh.
A video circulating on social media from Bhopal this morning captured commuters expressing frustration over the inability to find buses or taxis for travel to Indore after waiting for 1-1.5 hours.
STORY | Commuters in #Bhopal face inconvenience as transport drivers continue to protest against new provisions in hit-and-run case introduced by Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023. pic.twitter.com/3kAgXpbiiL
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 2, 2024
Petrol pumps run dry
Meanwhile, lengthy queues formed at petrol pumps in Himachal’s Shimla and Dharamshala as drivers associated with the Transport Association protested against the new hit-and-run law on Tuesday.
Heavy rush at a petrol pump following the nationwide strike of truck drivers against a provision in the new penal law on hit-and-run accident cases, in Shimla, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. (PTI Photo)
#WATCH | Himachal Pradesh: Long queues at petrol pumps in Dharamshala as Transport Association, drivers protest against new law on hit and run cases. pic.twitter.com/OWHvqXrTwS
In Maharashtra, heavy rush was seen outside petrol pumps in Mumbai and Thane as people came to fill up their vehicle tanks fearing shortage of fuel amid the protest by truck drivers.
Long queues of vehicles including school buses outside petrol pumps in Mumbai and MMR. (Express Photo by Amit Chakrabarty)
Petrol Dealers Association, Mumbai, president Chetan Modi told PTI that the fuel supply to petrol pumps was affected due to the drivers’ agitation since Monday. “Petrol pumps started getting dry since yesterday. If we won’t get the supply, most of the pumps will run out of fuel from today,” he said.
In Nagpur drivers parked their trucks on the highway amid ‘rasta roko’ protest and members of various truck driver associations gathered at Samvidhan Chowk to stage a protest.
Nagpur: Truck drivers at a protest rally during their strike over the proposed legislation on hit-and-run cases under Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, in Nagpur, Tuesday, Jan 2, 2024. (PTI Photo)
— ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2024
#WATCH | Maharashtra: Long queues at petrol pumps in Nagpur as Transport Association, drivers protest against new law on hit and run cases. pic.twitter.com/FWgQd1F5iH
— ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2024
Meanwhile, due to the strike, several petrol pumps in Punjab’s Ludhiana have reportedly “run out of stock”. Heavy rush was also seen at petrol pumps in Chanidgarh and Mohali as people waited to refuel their vehicles.
“Out of stock” sign displayed at a petrol pump on Ferozepur road in Ludhiana. (Express Photos by Gurmeet Singh)
Rush at petrol pump at Landran road in Mohali. (Express photo by Jasbir Malhi)
Truck drivers were also seen protesting near the Ahmedabad-Baroda Expressway on Tuesday.
Truck drivers protesting at S P Ring Road near Ahmedabad Baroda Express Way. (Express Photo)
#WATCH | Truck drivers protest near Ahmedabad-Baroda expressway
Truckers across the country have been protesting against the stringent jail and fine regulations under the BNS for hit-and-run cases
Video by @nirmalharindran
Read more: https://t.co/gVEjqyBrfS pic.twitter.com/PkY4OWGeDb— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) January 2, 2024
Protesters obstructed highways in several districts of Gujarat, including Kheda, Valsad, Gir Somnath, Bharuch, and Mehsana, by parking vehicles and setting up blockades on Monday. They temporarily blocked major routes like the Mehsana-Ambaji and Ahmedabad-Indore highways with burning tires, causing disruptions.
Tapan Sharma, a former president of the Ahmedabad Motor Transport Association in Gujarat, told PTI that the protests occurred spontaneously. “The association has not called for a strike. Drivers are acting independently due to concerns about the new law. They protest briefly and then move on. However, these sporadic demonstrations have caused delays in the delivery of goods,” Sharma explained.
He added that business operations had not yet been significantly affected as drivers continued their work despite protests.
In Maharashtra, the Food and Civil Supply Department urged the police to take necessary measures to ensure a smooth and uninterrupted supply of petrol, diesel, kerosene, and LPG cylinders.
In an interview with PTI, C L Mukati, chairman of the transport committee of All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), said, “Before introducing stringent provisions in hit-and-run accident cases akin to laws in other countries, the government should prioritize improving road and transportation systems, similar to those seen in foreign nations.”
The operation of roadway buses in Rajasthan faced disruption on Monday but resumed following police intervention. In various locations like the Mumbai-Agra National Highway and certain roads in Indore, drivers staged blockades, impacting vehicle movement and the distribution of essential commodities.
Punjab: Moga DC says, ‘Don’t panic’
Meanwhile, in Punjab, Moga deputy commissioner Kulwant Singh said that there is no need to worry about fuel supply in the district as the administration was keeping a close vigil on the situation. He also said that supply of fuel would be ensured and people should not panic buying.
The DC, while presiding over a meeting with representatives of oil companies including Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited in the district administrative complex said that these companies had been asked to ensure the supply of fuel and LPG remain unaffected due to the strike of transporters through internal arrangements.
He said that the district administration would offer every kind of support to the companies in facilitating the supply to the fuel stations.
He said that the Punjab government was holding talks with the appropriate authorities and striking transporters to resolve the issue promptly.
He also warned that any kind of hoarding by the petrol pumps or anyone will not be tolerated. He clarified that a reserve quota of oil and gas has been kept for essential services in Moga district.
— with inputs from ENS Punjab
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