Transporters demand relief package, resumption of commercial vehicles

All Jammu and Kashmir Transport Welfare Association served a three-day ultimatum to the administration to respond to its demands

Sulking over no relief package to the transporters, delay in the resumption of commercial transportation and demanding hike in fare by 50%, All Jammu and Kashmir Transport Welfare Association on Saturday served a three-day ultimatum to the administration to respond to its demands or else get ready to face agitations and protest demonstrations across the Union territory.

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The association said that they too could carry 50% of the total capacity of their passenger vehicles to maintain social distancing but further delay may sound a death knell to the transport industry.

Addressing media persons here, association chairman TS Wazir said that all commercial vehicles came to a screeching halt on March 15 and since then they remain off the road in the wake of Covid 19 pandemic.

“The government has announced a relief package for all the sectors but we have been left high and dry. Transporters have suffered huge losses due to the lockdown. While rail and air traffic have been resumed and liquor vends have been opened, we are not allowed to run our vehicles in J&K,” he said and referred to Delhi, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan where fares have been hiked by 20 to 30% and the vehicles have started plying while following the SOPs.