Tamil Nadu truckers, lorry booking agents stop operations

The association comprising federations of truckers and other goods carriers in the southern states made the announcement earlier this month. 

They have sought the fulfilment of over half a dozen demands, including rolling back of hike in third party premium, making toll roads free for vehicle movement once the companies manning them have received the amount invested, rolling back of RTO fee hike, reduction of exorbitant penalties, exempting goods carriers from installing speed governors and rolling back of VAT hike for fuel in Tamil Nadu. 

In Tamil Nadu, the State Lorry Owners Federation – Tamil Nadu (SLOF-TN) and the Tamil Nadu Lorry Booking Agents Federation extended support to the strike. 

However, the leader of a Chennai based truckers’ federation told reporters at Mettur, in Salem on Sunday, that they would be taking part in the indefinite strike organized by the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) that commences on April 20. 

SLOF-TN and the booking agents’ federation have stopped booking trips to North India from the weekend. V Rajavadivel, president of the booking agents’ federation told DTNext that they stopped bookings to Gujarat, Maharashtra and north-east states on Monday. 

“About 40,000 trucks in Tamil Nadu ply from and to the northern states every day. “These trucks carry textiles, turmeric, sago, metals and agricultural produce to the northern states and bring back pulses, onions, garlic, cotton bales and machineries to Tamil Nadu,” Rajavadivel said. 

“All the 5,643 booking agents attached to our federation will stop bookings to Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Puducherry and Kerala on Tuesday. Bookings within Tamil Nadu will be stopped on Wednesday,” he added. 

Regarding the announcement by a Chennai based truckers’ federation that they would not take part in the strike, Rajavadivel said “They will be able to operate only if we book trips.” 

SLOF-TN, which comprises of 85 affiliated truckers’ associations including the Namakkal, Salem, Tiruchengode and Sankagiri associations, has been busy holding a series of meetings with truckers’ associations at various places including Chennai and Puducherry, seeking support for the strike. 

“Some of our members have stopped operations to the northern states from Saturday. The agents have also stopped booking trips to these states,” said M R Kumarasamy, president of SLOF-TN. 

The Tamil Nadu Sand Lorry Owners Federation has also extended support to the strike and will not operate trucks on March 30.