Uttarakhand – The statewide transport strike called by the Uttarakhand Transport Federation on Wednesday brought traffic to a standstill across Garhwal region. Buses and taxis remained off the roads, leaving passengers stranded at key points including Rishikesh and Dehradun. The protest, held at Indramani Badoni Chowk in Rishikesh, saw heated arguments between transport operators and drivers of outside vehicles attempting to enter the region.
The federation’s seven-point demand includes stopping the annual 5% tax hike without fare revision, controlling illegal “daggamar” vehicles, and opening fitness centers at ARTO offices. The strike was observed from 6 AM to 5 PM, causing heavy disruption to daily transport services.
Transport operators began their protest early in the morning, preventing buses and taxis from leaving the Rishikesh bus terminal. Vehicles from outside states were stopped at checkpoints, and several private cars were detained on suspicion of operating illegally. As a result, hundreds of passengers were forced to cancel or delay their travel plans.
Nearly 120 buses operate daily under joint rotation among nine transport companies in Garhwal. All services were suspended during the strike. To manage the crisis, the Rishikesh depot of Uttarakhand Roadways deployed 12 additional buses on routes including Srinagar, Karnaprayag, Uttarkashi, and Gopeshwar. Even so, buses ran overcrowded, and many passengers could not find seats.
Assistant General Manager of Rishikesh Depot Narendra Kumar confirmed that 12 extra buses were sent to handle the rush, compared to the usual four operating on hill routes. In Haridwar, private buses also stayed off duty, forcing passengers onto overcrowded roadways buses.
Truck services and most autos also stayed off the road, though a limited number of e-rickshaws continued to operate. Despite exemptions for school buses and essential service vehicles, confusion in the morning led several parents to personally drop their children at schools.
At Indramani Badoni Chowk, federation leaders including Sanjay Shastri, Sudhir Rai, Gajendra Singh Negi, Yogesh Uniyal, Ashutosh Sharma, Shashi Semwal, Hemant Dang, Krishna Badoni, Kuldeep Bahuguna, Hari Singh Rawat, and Bijendra Kandari demanded immediate government action on their long-pending issues.
