Truckers threaten stir over diesel prices

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, April 24

Truckers have threatened to go on a strike if the price of diesel continues to soar. Former president of All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) Bal Malkit Singh said, truck owners were finding it difficult to pass on the higher cost of diesel to their customers.

“With diesel prices being revised upwards everyday our costs are also increasing. This is slowly strangling the transport industry,” he said.

Diesel prices on Tuesday stood at Rs 70.20 per litre while petrol was quoted at Rs 82.48 per litre. Though prices are raised by 15 to 20 paise per litre every day, transporters are staring at higher costs on a monthly or quarterly basis. “We cannot keep increasing prices as we have long-term contracts with many logistics companies,” said Harvinder Bumra, who owns several trucks plying between Mumbai and Delhi.

Truck owners estimate that diesel accounts for around 60-70% of their operating expenses. With the price of fuel touching all-time highs, it could result in rising inflation as the cost of transporting foodgrains and vegetables apart from industrial goods rise substantially.

The AIMTC wants the government to reduce taxes on petrol and diesel so that the overall cost of fuel is brought down.