Protesting against proposed resumption of toll on national highways from Monday, transporters' apex body AIMTC on Sunday said it will adversely affect rabi crop procurement, adding that over 85 per cent transporters are cash-starved small operators who are not able to sustain toll fee.
The All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), the apex body for transporters that represents about 95 lakh truckers and transport entities, sought suspension of toll till May 3.
After temporarily suspending toll collection on national highways across the country from March 25 amid the coronavirus pandemic, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is set to resume toll collection from Monday, a move that is being opposed by transporters.
"As per inputs received from across the country, procurement of rabi crop will be disturbed, as more than 85 per cent, finance-starved small operators can't sustain toll burden starting April 20. Tolls must be suspended at least till May 3," All India Motor Transport Congress President Kultaran Singh Atwal said seeking the PMO's intervention.
Atwal said that more than 85 per cent of the transport fraternity have one to five vehicles and about 65 per cent of them are self-employed owner-drivers.
He added, "No relief is forthcoming from the government, instead toll burden starts...facilitation instead of earning should be the way forward."
AIMTC Secretary General Naveen Gupta told PTI, "Only 15 per cent of the transporters own big fleets but they are also helpless...some have vehicles transporting essential goods while others are facing shortages of drivers."
He said the entire transport fraternity is financially broken and does not have finance for operations and bringing back drivers either, which is another big challenge.
Yet, the government instead of extending this sector support by giving minimum rescue package, submitted by AIMTC, it is burdening it with toll charges that account for 20 per cent of the operating costs, it added.
AIMTC has sought a relief package from the government that includes Rs 15,000 per driver per month besides insurance cover to drivers and supporting staff.
Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training (IFTRT) Coordinator S P Singh said that in the past 21 days, the benefit of toll fee not being levied was hardly being passed on in the form of any reduction in truck rentals across the country.
On March, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari had announced: "In view of COVID-19, it has been ordered to temporarily suspend the collection of toll at all toll plazas across India."
This will not only reduce inconvenience to emergency services but also save critical time, he had said.
The minister had also said that maintenance of roads and availability of emergency resources at toll plazas will continue as usual.
Earlier, the road transport and highways ministry advised the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to follow the home ministry's guidelines about toll plaza operations following the lockdown.
The prevailing condition may be treated as 'Force Majeure' for concession or contract agreement in terms of the finance ministry, it had said.
The NHAI had rolled out the electronic toll collection programme across India in December on its over 500 toll plazas while doubling toll charges from the vehicles entering FASTag lanes without the tag.
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