Archive · 2 Dec 2025
SIMTA Calls for Vehicle Bandh Over Fitness Fee Hike
A group of transport associations in southern India called for a strike starting from December 9.
They are protesting a big increase in the fees for checking if their vehicles are safe to use.
The fees went up from Rs.1,340 to Rs 33,000, which they say is too much and is causing financial problems for many vehicle owners.
The strike will involve keeping lorries that are more than 12 years old off the roads until the government changes the fees back to the old amount.
The decision was made in a meeting in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, and was supported by transport groups from six states.
SIMTA called for a vehicle bandh starting from midnight of December 9 to protest the hike in fitness charges for transport vehicles.
The decision was made in a meeting in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, attended by transport associations from six southern states.
The fitness fee for a single vehicle was increased from Rs.1,340 to Rs 33,000, which SIMTA describes as arbitrary and financially burdensome.
The bandh will involve keeping lorries above 12 years off the roads until the government rolls back the fee hike.
Thousands of vehicles across southern states are already off the roads as operators cannot afford the new fitness charges.
- Who
- South India Motor Transport Association (SIMTA) and transport associations from six southern states
- What
- A vehicle bandh (strike) to protest the hike in fitness charges for transport vehicles
- When
- Starting from midnight of December 9
- Where
- Across Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Puducherry, and Kerala
- Why
- To oppose the steep increase in fitness charges for transport vehicles, which they describe as arbitrary and financially burdensome
- Organization
- South India Motor Transport Association (SIMTA)
- Bandh Start Time
- Midnight of December 9
- Fitness Fee Hike
- From Rs.1,340 to Rs 33,000
- Affected Vehicles
- Lorries above 12 years
- Participating States
- Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Puducherry, Kerala
- Meeting Location
- Vellore, Tamil Nadu
- Notification Date
- November 11