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Trucks go off road in Chittoor
More than 5,000 trucks were off the road in Chittoor district following the lorry owners’ indefinite strike which began on Thursday to exert pressure on the government to concede their long-pending demands.
- Lorry owners body demand cut in third party premium, rationalisation of toll fee collected at the toll plazas on national highways and reduction of VAT
- Launched indefinite strike from Thursday as the government failed to resolve our long-pending demands, says Tirupati-Renigunta Lorry Owners’ Association general secretary Munuswamy Reddy
Tirupati: More than 5,000 trucks were off the road in Chittoor district following the lorry owners’ indefinite strike which began on Thursday to exert pressure on the government to concede their long-pending demands.
The lorry owners based at Tirupati, Renigunta, Srikalahasti, Madanapalle and Chittoor are participating in the strike responding to the call given by South India Motor Transport Association (SIMTA) for achieving the demands including cut in the third party premium which was hiked by 50 per cent, rationalisation of toll fee collected at the toll plazas on national highways and reduction of Value Added Tax (VAT). The truck owners in Telugu speaking states demanding a uniform single permit system for the truck drivers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The lorry owners along with the crew staged a dharna in Renigunta on the first day of the strike.
Speaking on the occasion, Tirupati-Renigunta Lorry Owners’ Association general secretary Munuswamy Reddy said that they were forced to launch indefinite strike as the government failed to resolve their demands.
All India Road Transport Workers Federation (AIRTWF) district secretary V Ganga Raju also participated in the protest to express solidarity to the lorry owners strike.
Raju said that increasing the VAT, fuel charges, toll fee and insurance premium added to the woes of lorry owners, who suffered financial loses post demonetisation. Further, the 400 per cent hike in driving licence renewal fee, penalty for delay in paying renewal fee, fitness certificate charges and penalty for any delay in paying fee hit hard the lorry owners and drivers and demanded to withdraw the hike. He demanded the government to discuss with lorry owners to settle their issues without delay to resume good transport which was hit with the strike affecting people.
