Government today urged transporters to call off their proposed strike from October 1 demanding a transparent toll policy.
"I appeal to the transporters to withdraw the proposed strike... The issue they are raising is a governance issue and state governments should find the answers to it," Road Transport and Highways Secretary Vijay Chhibber said addressing media here.
Transporters body AIMTC that claims to represent 93 lakh truckers and 50 lakh buses and tourist operators across the country has announced indefinite nationwide strike from October 1 against the toll collection system saying it has become a tool for corruption and harassment of truckers.
All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) has said that paying toll is not any issue and they were ready to pay higher toll but it should be collected as indirect tax as different agencies were harassing them at toll barriers.
"They are not wrong in terms of issues, the issue is not the toll amount. This is not against toll payment. There are police and other agencies in states. Even if we remove the toll plazas, the agencies harassing them will harass them. It is a governance issue, corruption issue which can only be solved at the level of state governments," Chhibber said.
AIMTC seeking Prime Minister's intervention to the issue has said that despite being the highest taxpayers transport sector is on the verge of collapse due to plethora of taxes, regressive policies and laws that only strengthened the web of corruption, harassment, and extortion.
"Toll barriers are indeed symbols of colonial and have become dens of harassment and corruption. The Transport fraternity of India cannot sustain operations in light of burgeoning corruption, harassment, and time delays at the Toll Barriers and therefore want that the revenue may be collected as indirect taxation," AIMTC has said.
It alleged that the toll collection process is not transparent and prone to malpractices besides frequent stoppages made at the toll barriers result into the loss of Rs 87,000 crore on account of loss of man hours and fuel, as per IIM study.
It said CAG too has pointed towards mismanagement of crores of rupees in administrative or financial matters in this area.
They have cautioned that in case of a nationwide strike, the country will incur losses to the tune of Rs 1,500-1,700 crore per day on account of total halt of essential supplies and other goods.
