Jamshedpur, July 20 : Heavy vehicles remained off the road in support of indefinite strike call given by All India Transport Congress (AITC) in favour of its the six-point charter of demand.
About 2,000 trucks and trailers that used to ply on the main arteries of this industrial township remained off the road due to the strike which was also supported by Jamshedpur Transport Welfare Association (JTWA).
Though the strike became effective from the midnight of Thursday, a large number of trucks and trailers continued to ply on the road. But a group of functionaries of the JTWA swung into action and forced the truck and trailer drivers to stop plying their vehicles near Transport Nagar on Dimna Road in Mango, the entry point of heavy vehicles into the city.
Due to strike transportation of finished industrial goods from Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tinplate, TRF and Adityapur industrial area was affected.
Large number of trailers and trucks loaded with finished materials were seen stationary at the Transport Nagar as the members of JTWA did not allow these vehicles to go out nor did they allow any empty vehicles to enter into the city.
The major demands of the transport union include redressal of e-Way bill, reduction in diesel prices by reducing central and state taxes by bringing it under GST, national uniform pricing, quarterly revision of fuel prices, a toll barrier-free India for the seamless movement of vehicles, reduction of third party insurance premium, a national permit for tourist cars and buss, and amendment of Regulation 44A of Road Transport (General) Act, 1999.
The e-Way bill was rolled in April 1 for the inter-state movement of goods.
“We are not against toll revenue but the method by which the toll is collected. It is flawed, non-transparent and tweaked in favour of concessionaires. This results in losses of about Rs 1,50,000 crore due to fuel wastage and delays as against a collection of about Rs 20,000 crore annually. Furthermore, lane-based toll plazas degrade the environment and have become cess-pools of corruption and harassment,” said an official.
