Transport unions protest outside collector’s office

Various transport associations and unions gathered today outside the Pune district collector office to oppose the hiked fuel prices in the state and for their various demands

Various transport associations and unions gathered today outside the Pune district collector office to oppose the hiked fuel prices in the state and for their various demands. In the last couple of months, the diesel prices has gone above ₹95 which has directly impacted on the transportation of all kinds of goods. While the state wide lockdown, leading to less business and on other hand monthly EMIs has brought down the transporters in all ways.

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Members of various transport unions met Pune district collector today, they gave a letter of demands mainly focused on reducing the fuel prices and give some monetary concession to pay their pending EMIs with the banks. These members had tied black strips and holding placards in their hands made a symbolic protest for few minutes outside the collector’s office.

“The transportation business is suffering financially and it includes everyone right from auto rickshaws, private tourist buses, cabs, goods carrier vehicles and heavy loaded vehicles. Already we are dealing with the on and off lockdowns, and now the increasing fuel rates is a new worry for transportation industry. Many of us have closed down their business and if the rates continue to increase, we will be forced to increase our rates and directly impacting on all the commodities used by common public,” said Baba Shinde, state president of goods and passenger transport association.

“There are large numbers of people across the country who earns their daily bread and butter through auto rickshaws, truck, tempo, buses and other private vehicles transportation. Now somehow everyone is trying to rebuild their business and trying to earn money, then the fuel hike and banks troubling to pay the loan EMIs are worrying people. Central government should act immediately on this issue which is related to lives of lakhs of people in the state. So today we held a black day protest across the state and if our demands are not fulfilled then in the first week of August we will do Chakka Jam protest across the state,” he added.