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Vehicle Scrapping Policy: Ludhiana taxi operators warn to ‘gherao’ CM residence
Taxi operators in Ludhiana are opposing the Punjab cabinet’s new vehicle scrapping policy, claiming that it will only benefit corporates by providing them licence for vehicle testing centres and scrap centres in the state
Opposing the Punjab government’s new vehicle scrapping policy, the LTUN taxi owners’ welfare society handed over a memorandum to deputy commissioner on Monday demanding the cancellation of this policy.
The taxi union also warned the authorities that they would ‘Gherao’ the residence of chief minister Bhagwant Mann on February 10 if their demands would not be met.
Taxi operators in Ludhiana are opposing the Punjab cabinet’s new vehicle scrapping policy, claiming that it will only benefit corporates by providing them licence for vehicle testing centres and scrap centres in the state. The policy focuses on scrapping eight-year-old transport and 15-year-old non-transport vehicles.
LTUN taxi owners’ welfare society president Jagroop Singh said, “The new policy will benefit the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) and the Federation of Automobile Dealers’ Association (FADA).”
Adding more he said, “The taxi operator buy a taxi on installment of five to six years. As per the new policy their vehicle will be scrapped after eight years. How much will they earn from this taxi in two years.”
Jagroop alleged that the policy was formulated after an agreement between the owner of Lovely Professional University, who is also a member of the Rajya Sabha for the Aam Aadmi Party and a car dealer, and the chairperson of FADA Punjab, who owns Dada Motors.
Punjab state transport commissioner Moneesh Kumar had already cleared that there is a streamlined process for obtaining a licence for a scrap center, and any claims to the contrary are unfounded. The appropriate procedures need to be followed to secure this licence.
