Truckers in Bengal go on 72-hour strike; 6 districts 'partially' affected

"Revised norms of safe axle weights for transport vehicles have been implemented across the country except West Bengal," he told PTI. Barring a few, around six lakh trucks have gone off- road in the state in support of the strike, Bose said.

Truckers of West Bengal went on a 72-hour strike from Monday, demanding immediate implementation of revised carrying capacity for goods vehicles among others, and "partial" impact of the agitation has been witnessed in six districts on the first day, officials said. Supply of essential goods in the state is likely to be affected due to the strike.

Federation of West Bengal Truck Operators' Association (FWBTOA) president Subhas Bose said the strike has been called mainly to demand a 25 per cent increase in maximum safe axle weight for goods vehicles plying in the state, claiming that other states have already implemented the rule. "Revised norms of safe axle weights for transport vehicles have been implemented across the country except West Bengal," he told PTI.

Barring a few, around six lakh trucks have gone off- road in the state in support of the strike, Bose said. A senior transport department official, however, said that transportation of essential commodities has not been disturbed as yet due to the strike.

"Partial impact of the strike has been sporadically reported at six districts - Jalpaiguri, Malda, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Nadia and Paschim Medinipur. In rest of the areas of the state, no impact of the strike has been reported," Transport Director B Dutta said. Regional transport offices have been kept on high alert, he said.

The truck operators also demanded the removal of "unnecessary" no-entry points on highways, withdrawal of tax levied at toll plazas and waiving of road tax for the current fiscal in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The FWBTOA had earlier written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to withdraw the tax levied at toll plazas.