Truckers call off strike, prices may come down
LUCKNOW: Much to the relief of traders and consumers, truckers called off their indefinite nationwide strike after it entered the fifth day on Monday. In the next few days prices of essential commodities are likely to come down, which had skyrocketed due to the strike. The much awaited breakthrough in the deadlock between the Road Transport and Highways ministry and the All-India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) came after the meeting between union minister Nitin Gadkari and officer-bearers of the truckers’ association.
LUCKNOW: Much to the relief of traders and consumers, truckers called off their indefinite nationwide strike after it entered the fifth day on Monday.
In the next few days prices of essential commodities are likely to come down, which had skyrocketed due to the strike.
The much awaited breakthrough in the deadlock between the Road Transport and Highways ministry and the All-India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) came after the meeting between union minister Nitin Gadkari and officer-bearers of the truckers’ association.
However, the strike adversely affected about 20 billion tonnes of freight traffic movement across the country. Apex industry body -- Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) on Monday had urged the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) to call off their nationwide indefi-
THE DEADLOCK BETWEEN THE ROAD TRANSPORT MINISTRY AND AIMTC ENDED AFTER THE MEETING BETWEEN UNION MINISTER GADKARI AND OFFICIALS OF TRUCKERS’ ASSN.
nite strike. “With over one crore trucks and tempos being on strike for five days, there was a shortage of essential commodities like milk, fruits and vegetables and their costs increased by about 10-15% during the strike period,” said an Assocham analyst.
“Besides, the strike by truckers also impacted government revenues worth over Rs 3,600 lakh realised through road transport,” added the analyst. The Assocham had also appealed to the union government on Monday for its intervention to end the strike in the larger interest of the people suffering from every day spiraling costs of essential commodities. Truck operators went off the roads from October 1 demanding scrapping of the present toll collection system, which AIMTC said, was a tool of harassment for truckers, besides seeking a one-time payment of taxes and simplification of the TDS procedure.