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Nationwide truckers’ strike gets poor response in Mumbai
Strike on Monday and Tuesday against certain provisions in GST; transportation of essential commodities excluded from agitation
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The two-day nationwide truckers’ strike, which began on Monday, has received negligible response in Mumbai, though its response across the rest of Maharashtra has been slightly better. The supply of essential commodities such as milk, vegetables and medicines, however, remains unaffected as trucks transporting them are not part of the agitation.
The truckers’ strike has been called by All India Motor Transport Congress, a national body of transporters, who are protesting against certain requirements of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), such as mandatory registration for transporters. They are also objecting to the high price of fuel and corruption on the roads.
Maharashtra has around 10 lakh trucks and other goods vehicles. The Maharashtra Rajyta Truck Tempo Bus Tankers Vahatuk Mahasangha, the Bombay Goods Transport Association and several other transport associations in the state have supported the agitation.
Fearing violence and unnecessary damage, many transporters have chosen to keep their vehicles off the roads across the state, and kept them parked along highways, and at trucks terminals and other spots. In Mumbai, however, the trucks are out on the roads, and the impact of the agitation is negligible. Source in transport sector said that in the city, business is going on as usual.
However, transport associations claimed the stir has received good response in Mumbai and other places. Daya Natkar, one of the transport operator leaders, said most transporters have kept trucks off the streets in support of the strike. “The vehicles carrying essential commodities are out of the strike, so those supplies are not affected,” Natkar said. Trucks carrying electronic and industrial materials and goods, among other things, are said to not be running.
