All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) representatives said here on Tuesday that they may announce a strike by March 13 if their demands to solve problems at inter-state check posts, related to issue of transit pass system and rationalisation of toll collection are not addressed.
Led by AIMTC president Bhim Wadhwa, General Secretary, South Zone Motor Transporters Welfare Association, G.R. Shanmugappa, Coimbatore Lorry Owners’ Association president and secretary K.R. Arumugam and K.S. Kaliaperumal, they said that the apex body of truck and passenger vehicle owners’ association would be forced to take adverse decision as their issues remained unsolved.
The AIMTC had in its meeting with Kerala officials in July 2013, demanded facilities like scanner at the inter-state check post at Walayar for easy movement of vehicles but nothing had been done. It had also sought warehouse facilities, truck bay and a few other facilities.
The problem was that not only the facilities promised were not fulfilled but the movement of trucks there was getting delayed and trucks had to wait for six to seven days to pass through the check post after getting clearance.
At the toll plaza near River Noyyal, the fleecing of truck drivers continued though the Central Government had announced that at places where the concessionaire had recovered the investment, the toll collection must stop. This had not happened.
The AIMTC had put forward alternative method of toll collection – a rationalised proposal where the truck drivers would pay upfront an amount that would let them pass through all toll plazas on a green channel. This would be on the lines of the national permit scheme for goods carriers.
This would also help the truck drivers and also the nation save on fuel. And, the government gets the money upfront.
The association would discuss this and other issues at the March 13 emergency meeting and may go in for strike, if necessary, after giving sufficient notice to the Central Government to act.
