Kamrup Chamber protests NFR decision

Traders and businessmen in Guwahati have threatened to go on strike and not to unload goods from railway rakes if a recent decision of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) to double the fine on delayed unloading of goods is not revoked within a fortnight.

The NFR had recently doubled the fine for not unloading goods on time from Rs 100 to Rs 200 per hour. Traders under the banner of Kamrup Chamber of Commerce (KCC) have accused NFR of not providing any facility at New Guwahati goods station, due to which unloading of goods gets delayed.

“If the decision to double the fine amount is not revoked within 15 days, we will stop unloading of goods at New Guwahati goods station,” the KCC threatened.

“The facilities at New Guwahati goods station are pathetic. In some cases, the distance between two tracks is so less that rakes need to be placed on other tracks. Also, most of the area becomes muddy when it rains. Further, there is always a scarcity of labourers. Thus, we are never able to unload goods on time,” said a representative of KCC. He added that the delay happens most of the time not out of choice, but due to the poor facilities being provided at the New Guwahati goods station.

Also, with the Assam government acting on a Supreme Court directive to restrict overloaded trucks from entering the state, traders are facing shortage of trucks, which often delays unloading of goods on time, the official from KCC added.

He said that Rs 200 per hour fine would surely lead to price rise of essential commodities in the market.