Editorial: Heavy-handed for heavy lifters

CHENNAI: In the aftermath of the recent strike organised by truckers’ groups across various states in north and west India, life was thrown into disarray for millions of citizens. In Punjab and Haryana, motorists queued up at fuel stations owing to fears that stocks would run dry soon, as truckers kept off roads to protest stricter punishments in the new law on hit-and-run cases.

An agitation by drivers turned violent in Surat, Gujarat after protesters attacked a police constable. Stone pelting and road blockades were also reported in Maharashtra.

The bone of contention highlighted by the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) was that under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), which replaced the colonial era IPC, drivers who cause a serious road accident by negligent driving and run away without informing the police or any official from the administration could face punishment of up to 10 years or a fine of Rs 7 lakh. It inspired the Opposition to target the ruling dispensation for the haste with which new laws are being steamrolled.

In a post, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called out the government’s insistence on making laws without discussion with the affected class — transport stakeholders, or without dialogue with the Opposition. Rahul recalled that with more than 150 MPs being suspended, the government has enacted a law against drivers, the backbone of the economy.

After the government assured that a decision will be taken after consultation with the truckers’ body, the AIMTC asked protesting truck drivers to end their strike.

It is heartening to see the government’s wherewithal to avoid yet another fiasco like the repealed farm laws, and go back to the drawing board vis-a-vis the BNS. However, we must also draw attention to the plight of truck drivers compelled to work in pitiable conditions in all seasons. They are paid a pittance for the arduous journeys they undertake.

Those who own massive fleets barely give a hoot about the Motor Transport Workers Act. Section 91 of this law clearly charts out the work hours of the truckers while Section 13 details the payment for working overtime beyond the stipulated eight hours. A majority of drivers are overworked, which leads to fatigue and sleep deprivation, a recipe for mishaps. There is also a fear among truck drivers that they will be subject to the fury of the mob in the event of them actually owning up to their mistakes.

Encouragingly, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari had recently said that all new trucks manufactured on or after Oct 1, 2025, must be equipped with AC cabins for drivers; in an attempt to make the commute bearable. He has also assured that the Centre is doing its best to improve wayside amenities on national highways.

In India, which recorded as many as 4.6 lakh road accidents last year, the primary imperative is to improve the safety infrastructure, and providing timely access to emergency services, not just on highways, but arterial roads and entry points in cities. There’s also the need to address the bane of shoddy workmanship (read potholes the size of lunar craters), a problem where states and the Centre keep passing the buck. A scientific approach to investigations of road accidents must also be the order of the day.