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State transport association write to banks, Gadkari to reschedule EMIs
The transport industry was adversely affected as goods could not reach their destination on time and payments are put on hold by clients, says Baba Shinde
In a bid to give relief from financial burden to the owners of heavy vehicles affected by recent floods, the Maharashtra state goods and passengers transport association has written to banks to reschedule their EMIs for the next six months. The association has also written to Nitin Gadkari, union minister for road transport, on August 24.
Kishore Gajale, owner, Malhar transport services, said, “My two heavy vehicles that run on NH 4 route regularly were stuck at Satara during the recent floods. As the goods could not reach their destination on time, payments were stopped by the clients and now it has become difficult for us to pay EMIs which are almost up to ₹2 lakh per month.”
Baba Shinde, president, Maharashtra state goods and passengers transport association, said, “Due to heavy floods in Sangli and Kolhapur districts, the national highway going towards Bengaluru was closed for eight to ten days. The transport industry was adversely affected as goods could not reach their destination on time and payments are put on hold by clients.”
“Thousands of transporters in the state have suffered losses due to floods,” Shinde said.
“We have written to all major banks who have given loans to transporters requesting them to reschedule the EMI payment for the next six months with less amount,” said Shinde.
We have suffered at least ₹200 crore loss in the business in the state and it will take time to recover,” he said.
“Also, we have requested the central transport ministry to revise fine structure which will be implemented in the country from September 1, as the fines are heavy,” Shinde said.
From the first week of August, water levels had started rising on the NH 4 highway from Peth Naka, so the stretch from Satara till Kolhapur was closed by highway police for vehicular movement.
