Fuel supply to normalise after transporters call off strike

Truck drivers called off their strike on the night of January 2, after assurances from the central government that the new law on hit-and-run cases will be implemented after due consultation with the transporter community. After this, the fuel supply returned to normal at many refuelling stations on Wednesday morning.

Truck and bus drivers nationwide began a three-day protest on Monday against a recent central government law that has a provision for hit-and-run cases. The newly enacted Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita mandates penalties of Rs 7 lakh and a 10-year imprisonment in case of a hit-and-run accident. The earlier law under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) had provisions for two years of imprisonment. The transporters allege that the new law, which is yet to be implemented, will end up becoming a tool for harassing them and may increase corruption.

A petrol pump owner in Mumbai's Juhu area told our sister publication Autocar Professional that refuelling tankers started arriving at night. "There is no issue now," he said. However, the supply has still not been restored at some other petrol pumps in the city, as it will take time before tankers start reaching them. For instance, the staffers of another petrol pump station near Chinchpokli told us that fuel delivery is expected to start happening later today.