Transport unions hold day-long strike against amended Motor Vehicles Act, commuters in Delhi-NCR hit

Thousands of commuters in Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR) are expected to face tough times on Thursday as transport unions have called a one-day strike to register their protest against the newly amended Motor Vehicles (MV) Act and the steep hike in penalties proposed in the Act for violating traffic rules.

NEW DELHI: A transport strike call on Thursday against the amended Motor Vehicle Act (MVA) in Delhi and the adjoining National Capital Region (NCR) areas affected people badly as cabs, auto-rickshaws and private buses remained off the roads. Not only office-goers faced difficulties in reaching their workplaces, parents too had a hard time while taking their children to schools on Thursday morning. In fact, some schools in Delhi remained shut in view of the strike. Many parents received SMSs from schools intimating them about the closure in view of the day-long strike.

The call for the strike had been given by the United Front of Transport Associations (UFTA)-- an umbrella body of over 50 unions in Delhi-NCR -- against the steep penalties under the amended MVA.

However, Delhi Metro came as a breather for the harried commuters. The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses also were on the roads easing the pain of commuters.

Here are the latest and live updates of Delhi-NCR transport strike:

19 September 2019

09:53 IST

Transporters are not against the increase penalties under the MV Act but they are against the way of its implementation. Over 40 transport associations are protesting and around 2 lakh vehicles are on strike, We are not supporting anyone who are causing nuisance on the road: Rajendra Kapoor, convenor of United Front of Transport Associations

09:49 IST

Transporters are forcing people to get out of office shuttle vehicle. Many college students have failed to reach the college due to strike. Some women were reportedly threatended when they were sitting inside a private bus.