Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 15: All J&K Transport Welfare Association (AJKTWA) has sounded alarm over what it calls arbitrary enforcement and inconsistent policies that are crippling the transport sector in Jammu and Kashmir.
In a detailed memorandum submitted to the Divisional Commissioner Jammu, the Association highlighted serious grievances including blacklisting of vehicles without transparent criteria, issuance of challans in violation of MoRTH guidelines, the financial burden of Automatic Testing Stations (ATS), failure to revise passenger fares since 2021, and the delay in implementing already finalized routes for e-buses.
The memorandum, submitted on behalf of the transporter community, carried the signatures of AJKTWA office bearers Chairman Karan Singh Wazir, Chief Patron Parvinder Singh Happy, president Vijay Singh Chib, Gurdeep Singh, Gourav Kapoor, Kuldeep Singh, KD Singh, Shanti Sharoop Gupta, Narinder Singh, Harasish Singh, and Davinder Singh.
The transporters complained that vehicles are being blacklisted without any fixed threshold or notified criteria, leaving drivers vulnerable to harassment and loss of livelihood even for minor or pending challans. They further alleged that most challans issued in the Union Territory are generated through uncalibrated cameras and hand-held devices, which, they said, undermines the fairness of enforcement. Equally pressing is the controversy surrounding Automatic Testing Stations. The Association accused the administration of pushing ATS without consultation with transporters and described the fee structure as unjust, favoring private operators while burdening drivers and owners.
They pointed out that neighboring states including Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Ladakh have not imposed such stringent ATS norms, which places J&K transporters for experimental proposal. Moreover, with most ATS centers concentrated in Jammu district, operators from other regions are facing discrimination and uncertainty. The Association warned that without regulation and oversight, privatized ATS could become monopolistic, leading to arbitrary failures, exploitation, and lack of grievance redressal. Another longstanding grievance pertains to fare revision. AJKTWA said passenger fares have not been revised since 2021 despite sharp increases in fuel prices, insurance premiums, and maintenance costs. As a result, transporters are being forced to absorb losses..
The Association also expressed frustration at the delay in implementing e-bus routes that had already been finalized after a series of meetings chaired by the Transport Commissioner, RTO Jammu, CEO Smart City, technical experts, and representatives of the transport community. The Transporter community is awaiting a prompt response from the administration.
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