3.5 lakh trucks with Rs. 35,000 cr goods stuck: Truckers

NEW DELHI: An estimated 3.5 lakh inter-state trucks carrying goods worth over Rs 35,000 crore are stranded on roads, outside factories and godowns, according to transporters.

The goods range from cars and SUVs to two-wheelers and white goods such as ACs, refrigerators, washing machines, electrical items and industrial raw material such as chemicals, steel and cement.

Truckers and transporters TOI spoke to said the goods are at risk of damage and even pilferage as drivers and helpers have run away in many cases due to the absence of food, money or proper sanitation. Also, in most of the cases, there are no helpers and other support staff to unload the stocks once they have reached their destination, be it factories or dealerships and godowns.


“It is a painful situation for truckers and goods worth thousands of crores are literally lying on roads. Something should be done immediately to help us out,” Kultaran Singh Atwal, president of All-India Motor Transport Corporation said.

Truckers seek bailout package from govt
AIMTC is the biggest trucking association in the country and claims that its members control nearly 1 crore small, big and specialised trucks. Atwal said that while trucks carrying essentials such as food, medicines and sanitation products are being allowed, the government should also ensure the movement of other goods to the designated destinations so that the system can be unclogged and the commodities transported.

“We are still facing curbs. They should help lift the restrictions so that trucks can move. It is a pitiable position with many trucks stranded at state borders or other check points. Many trucks are idling at parkings or other places.”

Many truckers are also complaining that drivers and helpers are being left to fend for themselves. “At many places, there is no food, medicines, or even clean toilets. Also, sanitisers and masks are not there, and this has prompted many truckers to leave the vehicles and head back home.”

Vipul Nanda, president of car carriers’ association, said nearly 1,500 large customised container trucks — carrying around 10,000 cars and SUVs of various brands — are also stranded on the roads, or outside factories and godowns.

A large carrier truck has the capacity to carry around seven vehicles, and these generally criss-cross across the length and breadth of the country. Most of these trips originate from automobile manufacturing hubs such as in the Gurgaon-Manesar belt, the Pune region, the Gujarat auto cluster, or the area around Chennai.

“Please remember that’s this is an asset-heavy industry, and thus there are heavy debts too that transporters carry. If business remains paralysed, there are high chances of many transporters getting bankrupt,” Nanda said Pradeep Singal, chairman of All-India Transporters’ Welfare Association, said that there are cases where the movement of many trucks has been restricted even when the government has permitted them to pass through. “In many instances, the message is yet to reach the ground.”

The truckers are seeking wide-ranging support from the government as a bailout package. “Please give an EMI break for at least six months to us, and also extend our national movement permits by same period. There should be half-year relief in payment of statutory road tax and goods tax payments.”