Nearly 12 lakh truckers in Tamil Nadu affiliated to All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) will stay off the roads from July 20 across the State. Their charter of demands include decrease in fuel price, toll charges and third party insurance premium.
Representatives from AIMTC held a meeting with the Chennai Goods Transport Association in the city on Thursday regarding the indefinite strike.
Kultaran Singh Atwal, AIMTC’s chairman, said truckers are already paying ₹8 per litre of diesel as road and infrastructure cess. Stoppage at toll plazas resulted in an additional burden of ₹80,000 crore to truckers due to fuel and time consumption.
He suggested that the government collect toll charges along with road cess.
Members of the apex body were also against the steep hike in third party insurance premium. Moreover, fuel must be brought under Goods and Services Tax.
According to members of the Chennai Goods Transport Association, truckers transporting goods, including petroleum products, garments and construction materials, would take part in the strike.
P.V.Subramani, vice-president (south zone), AIMTC, said, “The country will face a loss of minimum of ₹2,000 crore daily due to the strike. In Tamil Nadu, the loss is estimated to be a minimum of ₹200 crore.” There are over 400 associations affiliated to the AIMTC.