The Hindu Business Line : AIMTC strike: No significant impact on day 2

New Delhi/Mumbai, Jan 6 The transporters strike called by All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) has failed to make any significant impact on the second day. The All India Confederation of Goods Vehicles Owners Association (ACOGOA), a lobby body of truck owners, is not supporting the strike.

Container train operators, wholesale vegetable traders, steel market traders, players in organised retail segment, pharma retailers, construction firms and FMCG players today said they have not been hit by the strike.

Many large transport companies that are members of AIMTC appear to be “officially” supporting the strike while continuing to load goods.

CONTAINER TRAIN OPERATORS

Container train operators like Container Corporation of India (Concor), Adani Logistics and ETA said they are not facing any problems in their last mile container movement. All container train operators depend on large road transport companies for collecting and redistributing their containers from the depots across the country.

However, the container train operators declined to name the large transporters whose service they use saying that the road transport firms are “officially” supporting the strike.

“Our operations are not impacted at all. All our (road transport) partners are honouring their agreements,” the Concor Managing Director, Mr Rakesh Mehrotra, told Business Line.

Top officials from other container train operators ETA and Adani Logistics echoed the same.

PERISHABLES, FMCG

The strike did not affect the price of perishables. “There was no impact in vegetable prices due to the strike. Unloading on Tuesday was as expected. While loading goods for inter-state movement, only the risk perception appears to have gone up,” said Mr Raj Kumar Bhatia, Member, Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee at Azadpur mandi, the largest wholesale market in Delhi.

According to a player in the FMCG segment, “Consumer products retailers and distributors normally stock up inventory for at least 20-25 days. So, the real impact would be felt only if the strike lasts for more than 20-25 days.”

CHEMISTS, RETAILERS

All India Organisation for Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) suggests that the overall movement of medicines has not been hit. A representative from AIOCD told Business Line, “There is no obstruction yet. The inventory stocking for medicines is done at the end of the month. At the moment there are stocks to last for one and half to two months.”

A large player in the organised retail segment told Business Line it has not felt any impact due to the strike.

BUILDERS/STEEL MARKET

“We have not felt any impact. The only impact is that some truckers have started demanding Rs 50-100 extra (over a base of Rs 800) citing the strike,” said a trader from the large steel market in Delhi – Loha Mandi.

A Builders Association of India official said that the industry did not anticipate an immediate impact. “People have already ordered and procured stocks in advance as they were aware of the stir. If the strike continues for long, there will be a problem,” the official said.

Federation of Associations of Maharashtra (FAM) echoed that goods movement has not been impacted. “As of now the essential goods and commodities transport has remained exempt from the strike. If the strike persists then there could be some effect,” said Mr Mohan Gurnani, President, FAM.

An AIMTC affiliate – Bombay Goods Transport Association – General Secretary, Mr Girish Agrawal, said, “We met the Civil Supplies Department in the Maharashtra Government and have told them that we are not stopping any vehicle from plying. The movement of vegetables, fruits, milk and other essential commodities is not being hindered.” BGTA is an association affiliated to All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC).

Continuing to maintain its tough stance, the Highways Ministry issued advisories to State Governments to take the requisite steps like declaring transport services as an essential service and invoking ESMA, cancellation of permit under Section 86 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

Related Stories:
Conflicting data on transporters’ strike impact

More Stories on : Petroleum | Trade & Labour Unions

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Fog conditions may worsen over plains in northwest

Rupee stuck in range

AIMTC strike: No significant impact on day 2

No reconciliation in sight for Sun-Taro row

BGR Energy Systems (Rs 182.35): Buy

Day Trading Guide

Security fears may deter new outsourcing customers

Commercial vehicle cos expect 6-month lag for sales to pick up

Truck sales hit the bump, decline 73% in Dec

Merger buzz keeps Satyam, Tech Mahindra scrips ticking

‘One country, one bank account’ may turn a reality

2008 mall supply falls far short of estimates