MUMBAI: Transporters across
Maharashtra have incurred daily losses to the tune of Rs 315 crore due to the new restrictions imposed by the state government, All India Motor Transport Congress core committee chairman Bal Malkit Singh said on Wednesday.
Singh said that the road transport sector was yet to recover from the 2020 lockdown, and the fresh one — Break the chain mission of the government — has triggered another setback.
In a media statement, Singh said, "The shops are closed except those dealing with essential items and there is a total weekend lockdown."
"There is a prohibitory order under CrPc 144 and a night curfew from 8pm to 7am which will further subdue demand and consumption. The demand for trucks will be curtailed which as per our assessment could go down by 50 per cent."
He said, "This will further cripple the poor truckers as they are already in the financial crises. They have to arrange for taxes, insurance, salaries for workers and drivers, establishment and administrative costs and EMIs."
Though the state government is taking steps in all its prudence to protect the people, it should also take steps to their economic well being, he said.
"As the state helped the transport sector during lockdowns 2020, we request it to plan relief measures for transporters like waiver of state taxes, permit and fitness fees, free parking for idle trucks and buses, priority vaccination for drivers and workers in transportation space, etc so that the truckers and transporters could sustain their families," the statement added.