Truckers threaten to avoid toll stretch on Chennai-B'lore route

The All India Motor Transport Congress's (AIMTC's) southern unit has decided to show its opposition to toll roads by avoiding one that lies between Chennai and Bangalore.

The fallout could be an upward pressure on the prices of some essential commodities as alternative routes would raise operating costs for truckers.

AIMTC's problem stems from the government's revenue raising efforts to develop and maintain highways. A Shanmugappa, vice-president of AIMTC's south zone chapter, told a press conference that the central government had raised Rs 64,515 crore over the last few years through the cess that has been imposed on diesel and petrol.

Shanmugappa claimed that the resources raised through cess were used to renovate roads, some of which subsequently ended up as toll roads. He said that it was unfair to ask the road transport industry to pay repeatedly for the upgrade work.

To start with, AIMTC has decided to avoid using the National Highway 7 stretch from Krishnagiri to Bangalore effective June 20. On that day, National Highways Authority of India plans to bring NH 7under toll.

Truck industry sources said that if AIMTC stops using NH 7, trucks moving between Chennai and Bangalore would have to use a roundabout route through Andhra Pradesh.

Most truckers would also have to buy a quarterly permit (Rs 6,000) to use Andhra roads, and finally end with higher operating costs.

If truckers use the roundabout route for a while, one fallout could be on the prices of vegetables. A fleet operator said that vegetables made up a significant volume of goods transported between Chennai and Bangalore, and if truckers continued to use the roundabout route, there would be an upward pressure on prices.