Truckers strike continues for 3rd day, AIMTC stages dharna

New Delhi: Impacting goods movement in various parts, transporters continued their nationwide strike for the third day Saturday against the present toll system and sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention in the matter.

The apex transporters body AIMTC (All India Motor Transport Congress) also staged a dharna at Jantar Mantar here, but the government refused to budge on their demand.

An AIMTC delegation met Road Transport and Highways Secretary Vijay Chhibber, but the talks failed to break the deadlock. The transporters will now meet Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday.

While supply of essential goods such as milk, vegetables and medicines has been kept out of the purview of the indefinite strike, the movement of other goods remained affected in various parts of the country, including Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

"Our delegation will be meeting the Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on the issue on Monday now. We have also demanded intervention of the Prime Minister on the issue and have submitted a memorandum to the PMO after our peaceful demonstration at Jantar Mantar," AIMTC President Bhim Wadhwa told PTI.

Wadhwa said transporters will continue their strike for a toll barrier-free India till the government comes out with some practical solution as the body is not against paying toll, but has been demanding levy of toll in an annualised form.

He said the cumulative loss to the truckers in three days was estimated at about Rs 4,500 crore while the loss to the government could be more than Rs 30,000 crore.

AIMTC claims to have 87 lakh trucks and 20 lakh buses and tempos across the country under its fold.

Another truckers body, All India Transport Welfare Association (AITWA) has decided to keep away from the strike.

AIMTC is demanding scrapping of the existing toll system, saying it is a tool of harassment, while seeking a one-time payment of taxes and simplification of TDS procedure.

On the other hand, Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training (IFTRT) said AIMTC's suggestion to have fixed annual toll is not rational.