PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, Aug 21: Movement of around 3000 heavy vehicles including trucks, trailers, and dumpers will come to a grinding halt as the Jamshedpur Truck and Trailer Owners Association has called for a ‘Chakka Jam’ agitation in support of their various demands next week
Members of the association met at Transport Nagar in Mango today. They also staged a dharna-cum- demonstration near Tata Steel’s Burmamines gate.
” The rise in diesel price has led to a huge business loss for us. Diesel prices have crossed Rs 95 in Jamshedpur while in several other states including neighbouring Bihar diesel prices have touched around Rs 100. The hike in prices of diesel coupled with no increase in freight and transportation charges by our vendors has taken a heavy toll on our business, ” explained Hassan Khan, a senior functionary of Jamshedpur Truck and Trailer Owners Association.
According to Khan, the members of the association would also march to Ranchi covering 120 Km to meet chief minister Hemant Soren on Tuesday. He went on to say that if such a situation continues many truck owners would be compelled to withdraw from the business.
There are about 2,000 operators who run their heavy vehicles for transporting steel metal, billets and TMT bars from Tata Steel and other companies to different parts of the country.
The association through a memorandum also apprised the state transport minister Champai Soren, about their difficulties.
Transport department sources said the agitation would affect the movement of raw materials as well as finished products from Tata Steel and other companies.
