Private Bus and Truck Drivers Enforce ‘Chakka Jam’ Against New Hit-and-Run Law

Chakka jam was enforced by the drivers on Pithampur Highway in Dhar by placing obstacles on the road.

New Hit-and-run law: In a sign of protest against a new hit-and-run law that carries a jail term of seven to 10 years for drivers, private bus and truck drivers enforced a ‘chakka jam’ (traffic jam) across the state on Monday. Chakka jam was enforced by the drivers on Pithampur Highway in Dhar by placing obstacles on the road.

Members of an organization representing the drivers also staged a protest on the streets of Bhopal at the Board Office intersection.

Gyansingh Yadav, a taxi driver who was also among the protesters on Monday, could not hold back his tears.

‘People like myself, who are taxi drivers for a living, can still be home in the evening. But the truck drivers are often unable to meet their loved ones for 15 days or more. We are not against any government or law, but I believe that some changes should be made, especially regarding the penalties against drivers. The new law provides for a prison sentence of ten years for errant drivers. I feel this should be reduced to one to two years,” Yadav said while speaking to news agency ANI on Monday.

A similar protest also broke out in Chhattisgarh’s capital Raipur, where bus drivers staged a demonstration against the new central law.

As the buses lay anchored in their sheds, regular commuters and inter-state passengers bore the brunt of the protests.

“We are poor people. Criminal action should be taken against the owners of our vehicles. This law is unfair to us and we will continue to strike until our demands are met,” said a bus driver.

The ongoing strike has affected the movement of around 1,000 buses across Chhattisgarh.

(With ANI inputs)