Diesel one paisa shy of Rs 84 in Mumbai; 3-hour chakka jam today by transporters

Fuel prices were hiked for the second day in a row, pushing diesel rate in Mumbai to a record high of just one paise shy of Rs 84-mark on Friday. Petrol, too, was hiked by 29 paise to retail at the highest-ever rate of Rs 93.49 at city pumps.

The rising diesel price has left transporters fuming with the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) declaring a three-hour ‘chakka jam’ on Saturday, from noon to 3pm. The protest is expected to be peaceful, but it could delay transportation of goods across the state.

The transporters’ protest will coincide with that of farmers who have called for a three-hour chakka jam in the country on Saturday. “We have advised our members to voluntarily stop running their vehicles in keeping with the solidarity with farmers.

This way, we also intend to register our protest against the government’s callous approach to the road transport sector and non-resolution of its legitimate issues of rising diesel price,” said AIMTC chairman (core committee) Bal Malkit Singh.

“We will be convening an emergent meeting this weekend to take a call on deteriorating conditions of the road transport sector including diesel rate hikes,” Singh added.