Transport Associations protest vehicle scrapping, petrol price hikes outside the RTOs across state

PUNE In a bid to oppose hiked fuel prices in the state and various other demands, members of the Goods and Passenger Transport Association protested outside the Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO)

PUNE In a bid to oppose hiked fuel prices in the state and various other demands, members of the Goods and Passenger Transport Association protested outside the Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO).

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The association members strongly opposed the central transport ministry’s recently announced scrapping of vehicles above 15 years in age.

This protest was carried away across the state in front of 53 RTO offices by various organisations and unions.

“The new scrapping policy decision taken by the union transport ministry is unfair and needs to be revised as lakhs of people are going to be affected due to it. There are a large numbers of people across the country who earn their daily bread through autorickshaws, trucks, buses and other private transport vehicles. Most of them have vehicles above 15 years of age and suddenly scrapping the vehicles will impact them financially. On other hand the fuel prices have increased a lot and due to this people are struggling to survive now,” said Baba Shinde, state president of the transport association.

“Already, due to the Covid-19 pandemic we have all suffered financially and even most have lost a family member. Now everyone is trying to rebuild their business and earn money. Suddenly these new policies and decisions have come. We have written letters repeatedly to the union transport minister, but no action has been taken. So a protest was held at all the RTOs in the state, and going forward if our demands are not fulfilled, then on February 13, a countrywide chakka jam protest will be held,” added Shinde.