City will run short of essentials in a day or two: Truckers’ body

The Mathadi Labour Union has decided to go on a day-long strike on Wednesday to extend its support to the on-going transporters' strike —chakkajam. This move is expected to halt loading and unloading activities in all major markets in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, including Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC). Talking to The Free Press Journal, Bal Malkit Singh, chairman, core Committee of All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) said, “We are not protesters but law-abiding citizens. We have shut down our business for the past five days. Many have started to lose their patience. So far, we allowed movement of essential commodities. But I think it will stop soon. “Mathadi labourers have decided to voluntarily join us as they know what impacts us will impact them." The loss to the transport sector alone stands at about Rs 20,000 crore till date. Singh added that the sector loses Rs 4,000 crore per day. With labourers’ participation, the city is expected to see an acceleration in prices of essential commodities. The body met Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and Finance Minister Piyush Goyal on July 19. “We are not going to fall for empty promises. We want the Centre to fulfil our demands. We are bleeding and we need to resolve our problems.” Singh added that the shutdown of transport will continue as long as they do not hear from the centre. At present, there are thousands of truckers who have halted at Vasai and the body is offering meals to them. The same is the case in many other regions across country.