Thousands of truckers on Jan 1 launched protests against the stringent new Motor Vehicles Act of the Centre, with several major inter-state highways and important thoroughfares within Gujarat being blocked, officials said.

The new law mentions that a driver causing death of a person by rash and negligent driving and “escapes without reporting it to a police officer or a Magistrate soon after the incident, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description of a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.”

Truck drivers staged protests in several parts of Gujarat to express their resentment towards the soon-to-be enforced criminal code ‘Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita’ that will replace Indian Penal Code. 

Following this, blockages and traffic jams were a common sight on highways across Gujarat on the first day of 2024. The police was also brought into action to ease this traffic menace.

The new law, if and when enforced, includes a provision that directs a jail term of ten years or a fine up to ₹7 lakh for drivers convicted for hit-and-run cases (causing a serious road accident by negligent driving, and who run away without informing police or other authorities).

As per the previous jurisprudence, the identified accused in hit and run cases go through trial under Section 304A, allowing them to get away with minor penalties in most of the incidents.

A demand was made by the drivers to take back the penal laws, and they vowed to continue the protests until this enactment is repealed.

Not only in Gujarat, but truck drivers across the country are up against the centre, protesting these laws. As per the drivers’ representatives, the centre’s failure to repeal the laws could also lead to a nationwide truck strike.

Consequences of the protests

Alongside the disruption in the milk supply, the possibility of the supply of essential commodities being disrupted has also arisen.

From vegetables, grains, and fuel to life necessities, various commodities are transported intra-country using trucks.

A price rise is also expected for these commodities due to the protests, as scarcity may grow in the market.

Highway blockages in Gujarat

The Aslali-Narol highway in Ahmedabad was affected by this protest as it caused traffic jams, resulting in inconveniences for motorists.

Traffic came to a standstill near Kheralu’s Vrundavan circle as drivers burned tyres on the highway and shouted slogans in protest of the laws.

Drivers halted their trucks mid-way on the highway near Kanera village on the Kheda national highway, which caused long queues of vehicles on the Nadiad, Anand, and Vadodara routes.

Police had to rush to the spot, after which the congestion was eased.

Around 2,000 truck drivers were on strike over these laws in South Gujarat’s Navsari on Jan 1.

Drivers also blocked the Chikhli-Vansda highway and the Veraval-Kodinar highway by parking trucks midway.

Drivers of milk tankers also went on a strike in Anand, Kheda, and Mahisagar districts, disrupting milk supply operations.

There was also a traffic jam caused by the protests on the Bharuch-Ankleshwar highway, a major route connecting Gujarat with Mumbai.

The Balasinor-Ahmedabad highway in Mahisagar district was blocked by burning tyres, leading to long queues of vehicles. Passenger buses and other vehicles were stuck on the highway for hours.

Vehicle queues of up to five kilometres were observed due to the protests on the National Highway 6, extending up to Surat’s Hazira.

Drivers also staged demonstrations on the Sabarkantha-Prantij highway.

Protestors also took to the roads at the Visnagar-Sidhpur intersection near Ambaji.

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