Gurgaon: The transporters' association on Thursday initiated a three-day strike in the city against the increase in fuel prices, halting trucks at key border points to prevent them from entering Delhi. Members of the association picketed sections of the Delhi-Gurgaon border and routes connecting the city with adjoining districts to stop trucks from heading to the capital.
Protest Details and Impact
According to transporters, nearly 40,000 trucks enter Delhi daily carrying essential commodities and other consignments, many of which transit through the Gurgaon border. The protest disrupted truck movement in the morning, but police removed the blockades later in the day. Truck movement within the city was not affected as protesters stopped only vehicles heading towards Delhi. Although blockades were set up at many points, traffic movement in the city remained unobstructed. Protests were organized at locations with additional roadside space for trucks to park, ensuring regular vehicle flow continued smoothly.
“We observed a peaceful protest and stopped only Delhi-bound trucks. Traffic movements were not affected,” said a member of the transport association. From Thursday morning, members gathered at locations including Kherki Daula toll plaza, Bajghera, Bilaspur, and Gurgaon-Faridabad Road for protests.
Industry Concerns and Demands
Gurgaon Transport Welfare Association (GTWA) president Hukum Chand Sharma, referring to the “steeply increasing” environment compensation charge (ECC), a pollution-linked fee imposed on commercial vehicles entering Delhi, stated that these measures could severely disrupt livelihoods and nationwide supply chains. “We have resolved to intensify outreach and coordination efforts ahead of the symbolic three-day nationwide chakka jam,” Sharma said, adding that recent policy decisions pose a direct threat to the sector’s viability and the country’s supply chain.
The All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) also staged a protest in Delhi, stopping trucks at border points. The Delhi government had sharply increased the ECC on commercial vehicles entering the capital as part of its anti-pollution measures. Under revised rates effective April 2026, charges for light commercial vehicles have increased to Rs 2,000 from Rs 1,400, while those for heavy trucks have risen to Rs 4,000 from Rs 2,600. The rates will also increase by 5% every April to account for inflation.
GTWA general secretary Pradeep Modi said commercial vehicle operators are under financial strain because rising diesel prices and higher toll taxes have reduced profitability, making freight operations increasingly unviable. “A few years ago, the government implemented BS-VI. The cost of vehicles increased significantly, but now we are paying a green tax on BS-VI as well, and the government is restricting the use of BS-IV vehicles,” said Modi. He questioned how imposing vehicle taxes would improve the environment.
The association has demanded a rollback of recent increases in toll and environmental levies on commercial carriers, withdrawal of additional green taxes on BS-VI vehicles, and a review of any proposed ban on BS-IV diesel trucks entering Delhi and NCR. Transporters said such measures unfairly penalize smaller operators.
