E-challans, no parking, no patience: Why truckers blocked Maharashtra's Samruddhi Expressway

A recent incident on the Mumbaibound Samruddhi Expressway in which a trailer driver allegedly blocked highway lanes following enforcement action has triggered fresh concerns over simmering resentment within Maharashtras driver community with a top transport leader warning the state government not to let the situation escalateThis is a warning signal says transport leaderBal Malkit Singh Advisor and Former President of the All India Motor Transport Congress said the incident should not be dismissed as a mere lawandorder issue but read as an early warning of mounting frustration among truck drivers and transport operatorsWhile clarifying that blocking an expressway or obstructing authorities cannot be justified Singh urged the government to examine what pushed the driver to take such a drastic step and why other drivers reportedly rallied behind himThis is a warning signal Please dont wait for another 2023 Singh saidHe noted that the transport fraternity has repeatedly flagged concerns to the Maharashtra government most recently through representations submitted on June 1 and July 17 covering enforcement practices echallans vehicle breakdowns parking shortages and highway safetyManual enforcement under questionSingh questioned why authorities continue to rely on manual enforcement despite the availability of surveillance technology and called for a clearer distinction between deliberate violations and genuine emergencies like tyre bursts or mechanical failuresA driver who stops a heavy vehicle because of a mechanical emergency is trying to prevent an accident not violate the law he said adding that enforcement must be firm but also fair proportionate and humaneEchoes of the 2023 hitandrun agitationSingh drew a direct parallel to the 2023 nationwide truck drivers agitation over hitandrun law provisions when unresolved concerns eventually spilt onto highways with vehicles abandoned and parked in protest That crisis he said was resolved only after intervention from the Union Home Ministry and written assurances to transport representativesIt took considerable effort and several days to restore normalcy We do not want Maharashtra to face a similar situation That is why we are raising the alarm today while there is still time for dialogue and corrective action Singh saidA long list of pending grievancesAccording to Singh several unresolved issues continue to fuel frustration in the industryEchallan reforms a highlevel committees recommendations remain unimplementedEnforcement harassment on state and national highwaysBreakdown challans issued during genuine emergenciesTruck parking shortages and lack of highway amenitiesDelayed development of districtwise truck terminalsSafety gaps on vulnerable stretches of the Samruddhi ExpresswayState border check posts abolition agreed in principle but not formally implementedOther longpending regulatory concernsRising costs squeeze operatorsAdding to the pressure Singh pointed to steadily rising costs diesel tyres insurance maintenance tolls and spare parts that havent been matched by a proportional rise in freight ratesThe transport industry is the backbone of the economy and truck drivers are the people who keep Maharashtra and the country moving They cannot be treated only as violators and revenue sources Their genuine difficulties must be heard and addressed he saidSeeks meeting with CM FadnavisSingh has appealed to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who also holds the Home portfolio to personally intervene and order a detailed probe into the Samruddhi incident He has also requested a meeting with the Chief Minister alongside transport industry representatives to present their concerns and propose solutionsOur objective is not confrontation We want dialogue solutions and a safe operating environment for our drivers and transporters We are cautioning the government today because we do not want to see a repetition of the 2023 situation Timely positive action can prevent a much larger crisis Singh said