Maharashtra School Bus Owners Announce Indefinite Strike from July 2 Over E-Challans and Poor Infrastructure
Mumbai, June 30, 2025 – The School Bus Owners Association of Maharashtra (SBOAM) has declared an indefinite strike starting July 2, 2025, protesting against excessive e-challans and inadequate infrastructure. With the new academic session underway, the strike threatens to disrupt daily commutes for thousands of students, parents, and schools across the state.
Why Are School Bus Operators Protesting?
The strike comes in response to what bus operators call unfair penalties imposed by traffic police and CCTV surveillance systems. Anil Garg, President of SBOAM, highlighted the financial strain caused by repeated fines:
“School bus operators are penalized daily for stopping near schools to pick up and drop off students. Due to the lack of proper parking infrastructure, we are forced to halt momentarily, yet we receive multiple e-challans in a single day. This has become unsustainable.”
Garg emphasized that the cumulative burden of fines is crippling their operations, forcing them to take drastic action.
Key Demands by the Association
The SBOAM has presented four major demands to the Maharashtra government:
- Waiver of Pending E-Challans – Immediate cancellation of all fines issued for duty-related halts near schools.
- Moratorium on New E-Challans – A temporary halt on penalties until proper pick-up/drop-off zones are established.
- Formation of a Joint Task Force – A committee comprising government officials, RTO, police, and transport unions to find a long-term solution.
- Infrastructure Improvements – Better road planning and designated stopping areas near schools to prevent future conflicts.
Government’s Response and Public Concern
The Maharashtra government has proposed forming a committee to investigate the issue and submit a report within 30 days. However, bus operators argue that interim relief is needed immediately to avoid widespread transport chaos as schools reopen.
Parents and school administrations are deeply concerned, fearing major disruptions in student commutes. Many are scrambling to arrange alternative transport, adding to the stress of the new academic year.
Appeal for Immediate Intervention
Garg urged Chief Minister and Transport Minister of Maharashtra to intervene before the strike begins:
“We hope for urgent action to prevent large-scale disruptions. Our only demand is fair treatment and infrastructure support to perform our duty without harassment.”
As of now, the state government has not issued any official statement, leaving the situation unresolved.
What’s Next?
If the strike proceeds, over 50,000 school buses could go off the roads, affecting lakhs of students. The coming days will be critical as negotiations between the government and bus operators continue.
