MUMBAI | September 10, 2026 — Freight operators across Maharashtra have urged the government to make the Special Task Force ordered for the Samruddhi Mahamarg a permanent unit after a series of robberies targeting long-haul truck drivers. Transporters have also sought a dedicated 24-hour emergency and crime helpline, a mobile application and a WhatsApp SOS service linked to police response.
The demands follow Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s recent direction to form an STF to crack down on organised crime gangs operating along the expressway. Trucking bodies said the unit should remain in place beyond an immediate crackdown and should focus on dismantling syndicates involved in attacks on freight vehicles.
The All India Motor Transport Congress has called for a system that would allow drivers to report incidents quickly and share their location with the nearest police station. The proposed WhatsApp SOS service would automatically transmit real-time GPS coordinates after a robbery or other emergency, according to the transporters’ demands.
The operators have also sought comprehensive CCTV coverage, crime-hotspot mapping and the deployment of Quick Response Teams at vulnerable stretches of the expressway. These measures, they said, would improve response times and help police identify recurring patterns and locations associated with attacks.
Bal Malkit Singh of the All India Motor Transport Congress said gangs typically use two cars to overtake and block a truck before several armed men approach the vehicle. He said drivers have been assaulted and robbed of cash, mobile phones, batteries, spare tyres and diesel. “Truck drivers have effectively been turned into ATMs,” Singh said.
Transporters also alleged that drivers seeking help after an incident can face delays in registering a complaint. Singh said patrol vans sometimes issue no-parking fines to stranded drivers rather than assist them, while victims may be directed to distant police stations to file a first information report.
Interstate fleet operators said many incidents go unreported because drivers and companies fear bureaucratic delays and disruption to freight schedules. They said the STF would need to investigate the reported organised networks and provide a response mechanism that enables drivers to obtain assistance without lengthy administrative procedures.
The transporters’ proposals include a permanent task force, round-the-clock emergency access, digital reporting, surveillance infrastructure and rapid-response deployment. The government’s next steps will determine the structure and duration of the STF ordered for the Samruddhi Mahamarg.
