Srinagar, Dec 09 (KNO): Accusing the government of “consistent neglect” and “discriminatory treatment”, the Jammu and Kashmir Transport Welfare Association on Tuesday announced a one-day token strike on December 15, saying the transport sector in the Union Territory is “on the verge of collapse” due to official apathy and unaddressed grievances.
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, the Association’s General Secretary, Sheikh Mohammad Yousuf, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that transporters from both Jammu and Kashmir divisions have unanimously decided to suspend operations for a day to protest against the “failure of the government to resolve key issues” despite repeated appeals.
“We have been highlighting our legitimate demands for years, but the government continues to ignore us. The entire transport sector, which provides livelihoods to thousands of families, is suffering. We are left with no option but to go on strike,” Yousuf said.
He added that after the token strike, the Association would give the government a ‘seven-day ultimatum’, warning that if their concerns remain unaddressed, transporters across the Union Territory will take a “major decision” involving an indefinite strike.
The transporters' leader said the sector is reeling under a combination of “ill-conceived government decisions, excessive taxation and lack of coordination in transport planning.” He said that the unregulated expansion of e-buses, sharp hikes in fitness and green taxes, and arbitrary e-challans being issued to drivers are the most pressing issues.
“The e-buses are being operated without any route regulation or timetable. They move wherever they want, sometimes to Budgam, sometimes to Sumbal or Baramulla, encroaching on the routes already allotted to private operators. This is not regulation; it’s chaos,” he said.
Yousuf also alleged that despite repeated memorandums and meetings, the authorities have not enforced a uniform timetable for e-buses and RTC buses in Kashmir, unlike in Jammu, where, he said, such coordination exists.
The Association also listed four major demands before the J&K government: Regulation of e-buses and a halt on further expansion until private transporters are given a level playing field or an option to operate electric fleets under a subsidy scheme; implementation of a fixed timetable for all e-buses and RTC vehicles to prevent route conflicts; Immediate rollback of tax hike, including sharp increases in fitness charges, green tax with ranging from RS: 8,000 to Rs: 15,000, and renewal fees for older vehicles, which have reportedly reached Rs: 25,000.
They also demanded transparent implementation of e-challan rules, ensuring that challans are issued only with proper evidence and accountability.
Responding to questions on whether transporters oppose new technology, Yousuf said the Association supports modernisation and cleaner transport but wants government support to transition gradually. “We have already introduced new and eco-friendly vehicles in our fleet. But not every small operator can afford an e-bus that costs several lakh rupees. If the government offers subsidies or incentives, we will happily adopt electric vehicles,” he said.
He said under the Smart City project, e-bus contracts were awarded in a “non-transparent manner,” benefiting “select contractors” while ignoring the long-serving local transporters. “The same transporters who kept this sector alive during the 1990s, during floods and even during the COVID period, have been ignored. When others were given financial relief, this sector got nothing,” Yousuf said.
Yousuf said most drivers and small transport owners are already under severe financial strain, earning as little as Rs: 10,000–Rs: 12,000 a month after repaying bank loans. The frequent e-challans, he said, are adding to their distress.
“E-challans are being issued indiscriminately. Many drivers don’t even know why they have been fined. Photos are taken from behind, sometimes without proper verification or uniformed officials on site. There has to be accountability in this system,” he said.
He further said that the steep increase in taxes and fitness fees has made it nearly impossible for small vehicle owners to sustain operations. “A 20-year-old vehicle now has to pay Rs 25,000 just for renewal. How can a small transporter survive in such conditions?” he asked.
The Association said that the December 15 strike will be ‘a token protest’ aimed at drawing the government’s attention rather than disrupting public life.
“This is a warning strike. We are not against the public or modernisation, but against policies that are killing the livelihood of thousands. If the government continues to ignore our demands, a stronger agitation will follow,” Yousuf said.
He appealed to the Lieutenant Governor-led administration to hold talks with transport associations from both regions before the situation escalates further. “We are not asking for favours, only fairness,” Yousuf said, urging the government to treat transporters as partners in progress rather than obstacles to change—(KNO)