Transporters call off proposed strike from 1 April

Transporters have called off the proposed nationwide strike beginning midnight of 1 April following assurances by the transport ministry to find ways of resolving their various problems.

Representatives of the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) today met secretary, Road Transport and Highways (RTH) Vijay Chhibber, in New Delhi today.

The transporters body had given a call to suspend operations of all goods transport and other transportation services with effect from the midnight of 1 April 2013, if the government failed to resolve the various issues affecting transport community by 30 March 2013.

During the meeting, Chhibber is said to have assured that the ministry appreciated the requests of AIMTC and would take steps to facilitate resolution of all issues.

AIMTC, an apex body of transporters operating both cargo and passenger services, represents approximately 75 lakh truckers and other transporters and about 40 lakh buses and tour operators.

According to AIMTC, transport industry across all segments has been hit by high input costs and deep recession resulting in huge economic viability gap. AIMTC has forwarded a list of demands to the RTH ministry for immediate redressal.

The demands of the AIMTC include:

• Immediate withdrawal of unilateral hike of third-party insurance premium (TPP) for goods vehicles;
• Reconstitution of the committee for any TPP tariff revision, with AIMTC as its member;
• Immediate implementation of toll permit in line with the national permit;
• Replacement of the monthly increase of diesel prices with half-yearly increase;
• Uniformity in pricing diesel across the country;
• Fixation of minimum freight rates for road transport sector;
• National permit for buses on lines of goods vehicles;
• Action against states indulging in illegal entry tax/ mechanical tax;
• Sales tax/ commercial tax issues, onus of any sales tax issues to be on consignor /trader, trucks not to be detained anywhere in the country;
• Centralisation of RC books;
• Standardisation of documents across the country;
• Removal of anti-dumping duty on import of tyres;
• Reservation of road transport sector on carriage by Road Act / Rules to be addressed immediately; and
• Industry status for road transport sector.