A truckers' strike in West Bengal has not evoked any impact on supplies of essentials, an office-bearer of the state's largest wholesale market association said here on Tuesday, claiming that there is enough stock to last a fortnight.
Federation of West Bengal Truck Operators Association, which claims a membership of around eight lakh goods vehicles in the state, has gone on an indefinite strike from Monday over a set of demands from the government.
Posta Bazar Merchants' Association general secretary Biswanath Agarwal said the truckers' strike is not likely to affect supplies and prices of essential goods in the next few days since there is enough stock at the wholesale market to last the next 14 to 15 days.
"However, stocks at local markets may get affected after about a week if the transport strike continues as movement of goods to these places from the hub here will be affected," Agarwal told PTI here.
The truckers' association general secretary Subhash Chandra Bose said the strike is called to demand a 25 per cent increase in maximum safe axle weight for goods vehicles plying in West Bengal, claiming that other states have already implemented the rule.
The other demands include a check on "police atrocities" on truck operators and early release of certificate of fitness for vehicles, which he claimed, takes around a month at present at different regional transport offices in the state.
"At least six lakh of the eight lakh member vehicles have gone off the roads in the state owing to the strike," Bose claimed.
He said the public vehicles department director has called the association leaders for a meeting on Tuesday evening, but asserted that the strike will continue till the demands are met.