Truck stir cripples diesel engine units of Rajkot

Rajkot's diesel engine and machine tools manufacturing industries have suffered a setback due to transporters' strike which entered the fifth day on Thursday.

The industries are estimated to lose up to Rs 2.50 crore a day as products are stuck at various points and raw material supply is affected, industry sources said.

Rupesh Mehta, president of the Machine Tools Manufacturers' Association, Rajkot, said manufacturers could not send products to various parts of the country on schedule.

Engineering industries of Rajkot cater to users in the southern parts of the country and the strike has affected their business.

The strike has also hit foundry units in Rajkot which depend on pig iron transported from other states for production.

The strike has affected more then one lakh people who are directly or indirectly employed by Rajkot-based industries. More than 10,000 small and medium units are manufacturing various products in Rajkot.

Many small units are unable to sustain losses for a longer period and have stopped production. They do not have adequate space to stock finished products which are not transported to clients.

Exports is another sector which has been affected by the strike. As many as 20 containers carry engineering goods worth around Rs 3 crore from Rajkot for dispatch to overseas everyday.

Exports have been severely crippled and the business is losing crores of rupees, Dhanshukhbhai Vora, honorary secretary, Greater Rajkot Chamber of Commerce, said.