What is Transport Strike and Effect Indian Economy:-
Strike Impact in Transport industry Which is the basic pillar of Indian economy. India has been growing rapidly in the transport field. The trucking industry has around 8.2 million vehicles on the road which runs day and night to run Indian economy and feed several dependent people on this Industry.
After GST Truckers Transport Strike :-
After the GST implementation truck owners were worried and fed up with difficulties which were going to come. Under GST it was mandatory for truck owners truckers to get themselves registered. But they were already registered as Vahan and Sarathi . Registering vehicles again under new frame could have been time consuming. Daily changing of fuel prices also disturbs truck owners as they have to manage their cost cuttings every day.
Many times in Indian transportation history truck owners have gone under strike for many days and stopped all the vehicles running on the road. After GST was implemented there were several organization who announced to go on indefinite strike to protest against new GST rules which focused on lowering taxes on diesel prices and reduce its prices according to the international market.
Around 93 lakh trucks and other goods vehicles stayed off the roads across the country.
Organization came up with the following demands to be fulfilled in Transport Strike :-
- Reducing diesel prices through tax cut by bringing it under GST, uniform prices of diesel across the country and revising prices quarterly.
- Exception of tolls for goods carrying vehicles
- Reducing third party insurance premium and making its procedure more transparent
- Exemption of GST on TPP and dismiss excess commission paid to agents through comprehensive policy.
- Giving National permit to buses and tourist vehicles
In past there have been many strikes hold against some government policies :-
Truckers Transport Strike January 2009 :-
Different organization and transporters went on a eight day nation-wide strike. These strike was called because transporters were demanding to reduce the toll taxes increased at National Highways . The strike was called off after transport ministry agreed to not increase the toll taxes at national highways and look into the issues of national permits and rationalisation of taxes.
Truckers Transport Strike October 9 Year 2017 :–
The transporters went on a two day nationwide strike to protest against the GST and rise in diesel prices.
Impacts of Transport Strike :–
Strikes are carried out to show anger towards government or any steps taken by government. Sometimes these are beneficial to some people while other have to suffer a lot from this. There are number of people directly or indirectly involved in the lorry business who are affected by the strike. For example owners employ two drivers and a cleaner per lorry. This is direct employment. There are also mechanics, electricians, automobile shop workers, weigh bridge operators, and other labourers who are adversely affected. More than 10 families are dependent on single lorry. People having restaurants and dhabas are mostly based on the truck drivers passing by. They also suffer from financial loss as nobody comes to their place to have food.
Transport strike effect Infrastructure and constriction Cost :-
The ones who are also hit by the strike are builders to who are bound to meet their deadlines. Due to strike they don’t get the material on time which increases their operational costs.
Transport strike Impact farmers vegetables food processing Industry :-
The indefinite nationwide strike by lorry owners hits prices of vegetables. Lorries are kept on hold by owners and thus quantity of vegetables cannot reach to market to get sold. This increases the demand and supply gap which in result increases the price of vegetables. Poor farmers also suffer due to unwanted strikes. As no trucks are available for transportation. They are not able to deliver their crop produce to the market. The crops just lay at their place and gets decayed as time passes and poor farmers have to pay for their loss.
Transport strike Impact petrol diesel fuel oil lubricant Industry :-
Even the petrol carrying tankers takes part in strike for days which limits the supply of diesel and petrol in cities which affects the daily routine of citizens. People block roads and national highways which affects the passengers passing by. They also warn vehicles on roads to return.
Increasing crime due to opportunism in Transport strike :-
During the transport strike there are always news of some activists who tries to complicate situations more by doing riots and unnecessary things. Several people take advantage of the situation and work for their own profit. Many cases are noted where innocent truck drivers are beaten up who carry goods in trucks. These trucks are looted up by the nearby people. More often people damage the goods carried on trucks and put some trucks on fire. Innocent drivers who have nothing do with the strikes have to suffer all problems.
Political bungling in Transport strike :-
There are certain politicians too who play the double game. On one side they show their support to drivers while on the other side they do some tactics to worsen the situation. Often it is seen that politicians or big headed people involved in such strikes take their own profit. During such strikes marketers starts storing huge stocks of vegetables , fruits and daily items and then develop scarcity of those products to increase the price rate in marker and make big profits.
Conclusion :-
This strikes doesn’t prove to be much profitable for longer term. After doing such strikes what truck owners get in return is only relief for some time after reducing diesel prices or taxes. Transporters have to face loss that might have occurred during strike if their vehicle got damaged or burned in the strike.
Fuel price in India does not have fix solution as it is totally dependent on international price of crude oil. As fuel price fluctuates in the international market its impact is seen in our market. This is ongoing phenomenon in Indian Transport which will never end. Though strikes makes Indian economy little bit loose it’s never going to end. People don’t understand the negative impacts of doing strike on country and its people. They are only self obsessed and believe in their own profit. Government should come to some fixed solution for such regular and basic activities so that it does not the harm the nation or its citizens.
Public frequently asked questions (FAQs) :-
