Strike intensifies as trucks stay off roads

On the fourth day of the ongoing nationwide transporters’ strike, more trucks stayed off roads on Monday, said transport organisations. Although they had hinted the protest might hit the supply of essential commodities such as vegetables, fruits, milk, and medicine, citizens were not affected for the most part but have begun to feel the pinch of rising prices.

The All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), one of the apex transporters’ organisations in the country which claims the support of 93 lakh truckers, had called a nationwide indefinite strike on July 20.

Their demands include a reduction in central and state taxes by getting diesel under the Goods & Services Tax (GST) so that the price of the deregulated commodity could be reduced.

Raman Khosla, president of the Maharashtra Rajya Truck Tempo Tankers Bus Vahatuk Mahasangh, said the strike is likely to intensify in the coming days. “India has already recorded losses of more than Rs 10,000 crore. More and more trucks are going off roads as days pass. However, we have not stopped the supply of essential commodities since it will affect commoners. We have no intention of doing so," Khosla added.

Maharashtra has around 14 lakh goods vehicles, a majority of which have gone off the road from Friday, after the AIMTC's call.

According to a statement of AIMTC issued on Sunday, “On the third day too, there were no reconciliatory talks or indication from the government to resolve the issues with immediate tangible results. The movement will get intensified in days to come".

Meanwhile, according to AIMTC, transportation services to and from ports, refineries, harbours, and industrial units supplying good such as petrochemicals, white goods, fast-moving consumer goods, steel, coal, cement, and granite have been stopped.

Their demands include a reduction in central and state taxes by getting diesel under the Goods & Services Tax so that the price of the deregulated commodity could be reduced