The strike by truckers across the southern states is set to intensify on Monday if a meeting with the Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India (IRDAI), scheduled for today afternoon does not result in a compromise.
On Sunday evening, LPG trucks joined the five-day-old strike and stopped their vehicles across the southern states of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Puducherry. However, fuel bunks in the city continued to function as normal as most bunks had filled their tanks on Saturday. “We have sufficient stock to last us for two-three days and there is no need to panic. The situation will become clearer after the meeting,” said B. R. Ravindranath, president, Akhila Karnataka Federation of Petroleum Traders.
Petrol tankers will take a call on joining the strike by noon on Monday. However, according to South India Motor Transport Association (SIMTA) general secretary GR Shanmugappa, trucks carrying vegetables to Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) yards had not arrived on Monday morning. This is likely to push up prices of vegetables.
“The meeting with the IRDAI will either result in the rates of third party premiums being reduced from the 50% increase which has come into effect from April 1 or we will continue and intensify our strike,” Mr. Shanmugappa said.
While the demands of truckers in the state for a reduction in RTO fees for various processes as well as the consideration of a reciprocal agreement with southern states where commercial vehicles from Karnataka will not have to pay entry charges is being looked at, the main issue of insurance premiums will decide whether the strike continues or not.
“The claims being made by the companies about very less commercial vehicles opting for insurance is not true. Let them release data like they did in 2013 which will show the state of the sector. This data cannot even be obtained by the Right to Information Act as most of the insurance companies are private players. The passenger transportation segment is set to join the strike from Tuesday if our demands are not met. This will most likely affect transportation of company employees,” said KG Ravindra, Chairman, passenger segment, All India Motor Transport Congress.
