Truckers to go ahead with strike
Even as the state decided to close 23 toll nakas in the state, the transporters will go ahead with their indefinite strike from December 5. This was decided at a meeting in Pune on Thursday.
Even as the state decided to close 23 toll nakas in the state, the transporters will go ahead with their indefinite strike from December 5. This was decided at a meeting in Pune on Thursday.
“We welcome the government’s decision to close these toll nakas but it really wouldn’t heed our concern in entirety. We would be going ahead with our indefinite strike from December 5 onwards. These toll nakas that are being shut are less important which had been overcharging for nearly 10 years now,” said G Shanmugappa, President, All India Motor Transport Congress.
The city’s and state’s transporters will be joining the nation wide strike. “We will be going on strike. The closure of these toll nakas were a long-pending issue. It is not clear whether the toll nakas will remain closed permanently,” said Girish Agarwal, President, Bombay Goods and Trucks Association.
The association claims that they wouldn’t touch the trucks carrying perishable and essential commodities.
About 700 trucks in Mumbai and 7 lakh vehicles in the state will be off the roads. On December 1, PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal ordered to permanently close 23 toll nakas in the state apart from temporary closure of 11 toll nakas as the toll collecting agencies did not maintain the roads properly.
State government will allow private vehicles to transport essential commodities during the strike. A committee under transport secretary will head a core group to monitor situation closely, said a government release on Thursday. The core group will start meeting everyday at 4 pm in Mantralaya till the strike ends.