Vegetable prices may rise in Delhi as trucks line up
NEW DELHI: Following the ban on entry of trucks in Delhi, around 16,000 trucks have queued up outside Delhi leading to traffic jams outside NCR towns.
The truck association said the snarls are affecting the movement of vehicles carrying essential commodities and this may lead to shortage of vegetables and fruits in the national capital leading to price rise.
“About 16,000 trucks are stuck outside Delhi and some of them have perishable items. Drivers don’t have enough money to eat. On the day all these trucks are allowed inside, there will be chaos as usually 5,000-6,000 trucks enter daily. On Haryana side, the trucks are lined up till Kishangarh in Rajasthan and there will be price rise of essential commodities if the situation continues,” said Kultaran Singh Aitwal, chairman of All India Motor Transport Congress, an apex body of Transporters.
The entry of heavy vehicles has been prohibited in Delhi though vehicles carrying essential supplies are exempted from this ban.
“It is difficult to breathe in Delhi and that is why this step is taken. We will allow the entry of trucks as the situation improves,” said Bhure Lal, Chairman, Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority.
While there is no shortage right now, if the situation persists it may lead to chaos, say transporters.
Towards the UP side, the local police is diverting trucks before they enter Ghaziabad or Noida to avoid traffic congestion in the city. In the two days of checking, Delhi Police have stopped 6,672
ABOUT 16,000 TRUCKS ARE STUCK OUTSIDE DELHI AND SOME OF THEM HAVE PERISHABLE ITEMS. DRIVERS DON’T HAVE MONEY TO EAT
trucks and asked 4,705 of them to return, while 782 of them were challaned for different violations. The rest, 1,185, were allowed to enter the city as they were carrying essential commodities.
In Gurgaon, the city traffic police stopped heavy vehicles at borders.
“We stopped heavy vehicles at Gurgaon-Rewari border at Kapriwas and Panchgaon. Apart from this, we restricted movement of heavy vehicles at Kherki Daula and Shankar Chowk,” said assistant commissioner of police (traffic), Hira Singh.
On Friday, the traffic police started diverting heavy vehicles from Sirhaul toll that led to snarls during night. The traffic was smoother on Saturday as many heavy vehicles were stopped at the Gurgaon border itself.
In Ghaziabad too, trucks were stopped before they could enter the city to prevent chaos.
“On one lane of National Highway 24, the trucks are parked and waiting to enter the city. The traffic police is stopping the vehicles at the Dasna toll and even before that to ensure trucks do not create chaos.
Those carrying essential commodities are checked and allowed,” said a Ghaziabad police officer.
Highway patrolling team is also informing the truckers about the ban and suggesting them to take alternate routes.