A three-day strike called by transport and taxi unions disrupted daily life across Delhi-NCR on Thursday, leaving commuters stranded for long hours and affecting the supply of goods to markets.

Transport unions, led by the All India Motor Transport Congress under the banner of the Rashtriya Driver Sanhit Morcha, called the ‘chakka jam’ in protest against the rising fuel prices, an increase in environmental compensation cess, and restrictions on BS-IV vehicles.

Hundreds of truck, cab and autorickshaw drivers participated in the strike on its first day.

“The green tax was recently increased from ₹1,400 to ₹2,000 for smaller trucks and from ₹2,400 to ₹4,000 for bigger ones. Moreover, BS-IV vehicles will not be allowed to enter Delhi after October 31, 2026,” said Ravi Rathor, vice-president of the Sarvodaya Drivers Welfare Association.

Warning against the shortage of fruits, vegetables and milk if the strike continues, he said over 1,500 trucks did not supply goods to the Azadpur mandi on Thursday. 

Autorickshaw and taxi drivers demanded revision in fare amid the rising fuel costs and competition from app-based aggregators had made operations increasingly unviable.

The strike disrupted the morning commute across the city.  At railway stations and bus stops, commuters reported confusion and delays. Harsh Gupta, 29, missed his train after struggling to book a cab. “I tried multiple apps but could not find a ride,” he said.

Nandini Goel, 24, reached her workplace in Gurugram 45 minutes late after failing to find a ride through mobile applications and missing her usual shuttle service.

(With inputs from Mahima Rao)