Motor Transport Operators Too To Join Lorry Strike

Telangana State Motor Transport Operators' Association (TSMTO), affiliated to All-India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), today announced that it would go on an indefinite strike from April 8, joining the lorries' strike, in protest against the decisions of the Insurance Regulatory Development Authority (IRDA).

Speaking to mediapersons on Thursday, Telangana SMTO leaders slammed the IRDA for enhancing the third party insurance premium unilaterally. They said that the IRDA had increased third party premia by 30% last year, and now, without discussing with anybody, by up to 40%, unilaterally. The IRDA had increased the premia by upto 804% since 2002 on lorries, they alleged.

As per tradition the IRDA should have first conducted a joint meeting with Tariff Advisory Committee (TAC) and various unions, but it kept TAC aside and enhanced the premia as it wished, they alleged.

In protest against this, they had decided to join the indefinite nationwide strike from April 8 midnight called by the AIMTC and other unions, they said. They made it clear that they would halt the vehicles everywhere as part of this "chakka jam", and that over one crore lorries would be halted across the nation after the proposed strike.

Union leaders Mohammed Khan, Vimal Gupta and Mohammed Imran Khan, and Greater Hyderabad Water Tankers' Association president Anjaneyulu Goud said that the movement of lorries had already come to a stop since March 30 across south India, and that this new move would increase the inconvenience to the ordinary citizens if the authorities did not respond quickly.

They demanded that the Centre appoint a committee to look into the problems of the transport sector with the ministry concerned. They also demanded reinstatement of Tariff Advisory Committee, review of the increased penalties mentioned in the Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill 2016, and curbing of rampant corruption in the transport sector.

They also sought the Telangana government discussing with the Andhra Pradesh government the Single Permit Counter Signature issue. They also demanded that the state and central governments set up a truck parking facility, and hand over the Moosapet / Kukatpally truck parking place to the Truck Operators Association on lease.

Greater Hyderabad Water Tankers' Association president Anjaneyulu Goud said that his association would take a decision on whether to participate in the nationwide strike after convening a meeting soon.