The Hindu Business Line : Road transport services not hit by AIMTC strike

New Delhi/Kochi, Jan. 7 The third day of the transporters’ strike called by a lobby body All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) members did not make any significant impact.

Wide ranging users of road transport services such as container train operators, construction sector, wholesale vegetable market vendors maintained that they are not facing any problems in their operations due to the strike.

The All India Confederation of Goods Vehicles Owners Association (ACOGOA), a lobby body of truck owners, is not supporting the strike.

“Our members are not facing any problems because most of them have long-term transportation contracts with large transport companies,” said the National Highways Builders Federation Director General, Mr M. Murali.

Container train operator Gateway Distriparks Ltd said it is not facing any problem in its road transport operations in the North and the Western region. “There was some impact in Chennai where our trailer was not allowed to move,” a top GDL official said.

When contacted, the Road Transport Secretary, Mr Brahm Dutt, said, “The strike is primarily by goods booking agents. There were reports of some marginal impact.”

On whether the Ministry plans to negotiate with the road transporters, Mr Dutt said, “We have made the Union Government’s position very clear on each of the issue. The Government has co-operated as much as possible.”

The APMC Member, Mr R.K. Bhatia, from the largest wholesale vegetable market in Delhi said, “There was no impact on unloading of cargo. But due to some reduction in inter-State outgoing cargo, there was excess supply and prices of fruits dropped by about 10 per cent.”

In Kerala, the strike by a section of lorry owners outside the State has led to the increase of prices of some of the commodities, especially perishable cargo in the wholesale market. Kerala depends on neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Karnataka for foodgrains and vegetables and it is uncertain that the vehicles will come from these States to Kerala during the strike period.

Though there were enough stocks of vegetables as of now, Kerala Government has issued directives to bring vegetables by train or KSRTC bus from neighbouring States, if the strike continued. There was no panic situation in the State as of now, and the Government is taking all steps to prevent price rise.

The Government has also decided to set up crisis management cells for the major rice growing regions of the State.

According to the transport research body IFTRT, “On day 3 of the strike, in majority of States and Union Territories, the truckers’ unions have en-mass deserted the transporters agitation as Government’s response on the justification of transporters’ demands being appreciated in the markets, while movement of FMCG, pharma products, white goods, automobiles, cement and steel remains unaffected.”

However, Mr Charan Singh Lohara, President, AIMTC, the association that had called the strike, claimed, “The third day of continuing Chakka Jam has resulted in a great gravity of impact on the daily public life. With reports of 95 per cent trucks keeping off the roads, as flooding into AIMTC, it is strongly noted that the Government is acting in total ignorance.”

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