Around 6 lakh truckers in Bengal go on 72-hour strike, goods supply likely to be hit

Supply of essential commodities in West Bengal is likely to be disrupted as around six lakh truckers went on a 72-hour strike from Monday, demanding immediate implementation of revised carrying capacity for goods vehicles among others.

Federation of West Bengal Truck Operators' Association president Subhas Bose said the strike has been called mainly to demand a 25 per cent increase in maximum safe axle weight for goods vehicles plying in West Bengal, claiming that other states have already implemented the rule.

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"Revised norms of safe axle weights for transport vehicles have been implemented across the country except West Bengal," he told PTI.

Barring a few, around six lakh trucks have gone off-road in the state in support of the strike, Bose said.

"We have requested all the truckers' associations to join the 72-hour strike. Most of the organisations participated in the protest but some have not," Bose said.

A body of truckers operating at the port here and the Calcutta Goods Transport Association have not participated in the strike.

The truck operators also demanded the removal of unnecessary no-entry points on highways, withdrawal of tax levied at toll plazas and waiving off the road tax for the current fiscal in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The FWBTOA had earlier written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to withdraw the tax levied at toll plazas.