Transporters' strike in Rajasthan grounds over 10,000 trucks

Jaipur, Jul 14 (PTI) Over 10,000 trucks have gone off the road in Rajasthan as transporters have launched an indefinite strike against the implementation of new regulations, including the mandatory installation of Vehicle Location Tracking Devices (VLTDs), permit-related issues, fitness certificate renewals and e-detection challans. New bookings have been suspended. Those in transit are not part of the strike and will join the strike after unloading goods. The agitation, called by the Rajasthan Truck Transport Sangharsh Samiti, is being supported by several transport bodies, including the Vishwakarma Transport Association, the Jaipur Transport Operators Association, the Jaipur Truck Transport Association and other organisations. The transporters, who went on strike on Monday, said the strike has halted loading and unloading operations across major transport hubs, including Jaipur's Transport Nagar and Vishwakarma Industrial Area (VKI). They warned that the supply of cement, steel, groceries, agricultural produce and other essential commodities could be affected if the deadlock continues. Vishwakarma Transport Association president Jagdish Chaudhary said around 35,000 to 40,000 trucks requiring all-India permits have been affected as permits cannot be issued without the mandatory VLTDs. A VLTD is a GPS-based tracking system that allows monitoring of a vehicle's location, speed, route and real-time movement. The device has been made mandatory for certain categories of commercial vehicles. "The transport department has issued a standard operating procedure (SOP), but unless authorised vendors are appointed, VLTDs are installed, and permits are issued, the problem will persist," he said. Chaudhary alleged that while the same GPS-based tracking devices cost around Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,500 in states such as Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat, Bihar and Assam, transporters in Rajasthan were being asked to pay between Rs 25,000 and Rs 30,000. He claimed that no all-India permits had been issued for over a month, leaving thousands of commercial vehicles stranded. According to the transporters, the government has continued the temporary permit system, but has done little to address the challenges long-distance goods carriers face. They noted that trucks travelling from Rajasthan to states such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Assam are required to pay taxes and obtain permits in multiple states, which significantly increase operational costs. The transporters said they are frequently issued e-detection challans. Satish Jain, Jaipur transporters association president, said a meeting with officials is expected later in the day to discuss the issue. He said that the trucks which are in transit will deliver the goods and will later join the strike. "Currently, no bookings are taken," he said. PTI SDA MPL MPL