STRIKE KEEPS LAKHS OF TRUCKS OFF ROADS
LUCKNOW: Over three lakh trucks (to and fro UP) remained parked on roads between different cities as the transporters’ indefinite strike began early on Friday.
In Lucknow alone, about 10,000 trucks were parked at various places as transporters refused fresh bookings. Most of these stationary trucks were in the state capital’s Transport Nagar area.
The All-India Motor Transport Congress gave the call for the nationwide strike, demanding lower diesel prices, reduction of toll tax and relaxation of GST on e-way bill.
The strike may impact availability of daily consumables, such as vegetables and food grains, if the agitation continued for 48 hours, those in the trade said.
Traders said goods worth about ₹250 crore were waiting to be offloaded from trucks coming from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, New Delhi, West Bengal, Jammu, and also from cities within the state.
“The trucks, which are on the way, will reach their destination, but supply will certainly be disturbed if the strike continues,” said Billu Tandon, the UP transport association president.
VK Chabra of Lucknow Goods Transport Association, who led a demonstration in support of the strike, said trade will suffer a lot if the strike continued beyond 24 hours. “Unnecessary toll tax, GST on e-way bill and high diesel prices has brought an unwarranted financial burden. This needs to be addressed so that common people can get things of daily use at cheap prices,” he said. According to transporters, the items of daily use and packed food from cold storage, are the worst hit.