Truck, bus strike paralyses transportation
new delhi — Transportation services across the country were severely impacted on Friday as private bus and truck operators began an indefinite strike to press for their various demands, including a reduction in diesel prices.
According to the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), transportation services to and from ports, refineries and industrial units have been stopped.
“After the inconclusive talks with Nitin Gadkari (Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways) and Piyush Goyal (Union Minister for Finance), the transport fraternity of India proceeded with indefinite suspension of transport operations nationwide,” AIMTC Secretary General Naveen Kumar Gupta said.
The industry has demanded that diesel be brought under the ambit of GST and tax structures like the e-way bill should be simplified.
At present, the main transport fuel — diesel — constitutes nearly 60 per cent of the overall operations cost of the industry.
The strike is expected to hike the prices of essential commodities and impact inter-state travel.
As per a AIMTC statement: “Processions, protest rallies, meetings, sit-in dharnas marked” the first day of nationwide strike.
“The angst and the frustration of the truckers and the transporters of India poured out due to non resolution of the issues of the trade in a concrete manner.” The AIMTC pointed out that there was total bandh in Maharashtra, Gujarat, entire South India, Uttralchand, Chattisgarh, Odhisa, Chandigarh, UP, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and J&K. “The movement will get intensified in days to come,” the statement added. An office-bearer of All Indian Transporters’ Welfare Association (AITWA) said that “the ‘chakka jam’ (strike) call by the All India Motor Congress has evoked a massive response” as the issues raised affect the main stakeholders — the truck-bus operators. —