West Bengal truck operators to join nation-wide strike from April 1

KOLKATA: Truck operators in Kolkata and rest of West Bengal will go for an indefinite strike from April 1 in support of their four-point charter of demands.

Federation of West Bengal Truck Operators' Association (FWBTOA) general secretary Satyajit Majumder said on Thursday that they will join the nation-wide indefinite stir called by All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) from April 1.

""We met West Bengal transport minister Madan Mitra who had requested us not to join the strike as it will intensify the woes of common people and have an adverse effect on the state's economic activities and trade. We waited before taking this decision to see what steps the state transport department would take.

However, no action has been taken till now even though the state's transport minister had assured to look into their matter."" Majumder said.

He also said that they were facing quite a few problems for which they have decided to start holding an indefinite strike from April 1 midnight joining hands with AITMC, which have already called a nation-wide stir from the same date.

The general secretary also alleged that the government was not taking any initiative to stop overloading in trucks and that the transport department was illegally collecting revenues from truckers for overloading of goods.

The truck owners were also facing problems to get or renew their licences and also to sell their vehicles if necessary due to the new rules that the motor vehicles department have introduced, Majumdar said.

Apart from demanding to stop overloading, problems with motor vehicles, police harassment, immediate repair of roads, they also demanded immediate withdrawal of hike in third party insurance premium.