Pvt transporters support AIMTC, to observe strike from July 20

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 17

The Transport Welfare Association has announced to support the proposed nationwide indefinite strike by the All-India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) from July 20.

The AIMTC will observe the strike to lodge its protest against the government for not addressing the demands of transporters.

Transporters Rohit Kewal Arora and Amandeep Singh said the AIMTC had been trying to convince the government and the authorities to listen to their problems. It has been seeking a meeting with government officials to make them aware of its demands, they added.

They said it showed the casual attitude of the government towards the trade with which about 20 crore people were associated in the country.

Ramesh Jain and Jaswant Dogra, members of the Transport Welfare Association, said, “There is no respite from corruption, extortion and harassment. The government is putting burden on traders by imposing more taxes.”

They said some key issues needed to be resolved immediately to save the transport sector. They demanded reduction in diesel prices; no toll in the country; transparency and reduction in the third party insurance; abolition of TDS; national permit for buses and tourist vehicles; and end to the direct port delivery tendering system.

Mandeep Singh, Bipan Sharma, SP Walia and Ajay Kumar, office-bearers of the Transport Welfare Association, Amritsar, said the association would support the decision taken at the 205th managing committee meeting of the AIMTC.