Over seven lakh trucks, including big and small ones are anticipated to stay off the roads of West Bengal for 72 hours starting from 11 September.

The strike has been called by the members of Federation of West Bengal Truck Operators’ Association (FWBTOA), which is a major body representing truck operators in the state. The three-day strike is to be observed on 11, 12 and 13 September, on busy week days. The 72-hour strike by the operators of the FWBTOA has been called to emphasize a seven point demand.

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According to the union leaders of the federation, the truckers are demanding stopping overloading and alleged atrocities by the police and the civic police. One of the seven assertions of the operators includes the alleged unexplained or random online cases against the truckers by the police. Another major demand for which the strike has been called includes allowing plying of goods carrying vehicles till 20 years instead of the present 15 years. The operators have also demanded identification of illegal sand mines and alleged harassment by MVI personnel and MVI offices.

Notably, there are around 7.26 lakh trucks, including those of big and small sizes in West Bengal, according to a FWBTOA leader. “We have been demanding these for a long time. However, we have not seen any progress on our demands till now,” rued the general secretary of the truckers’ federation in the state, Sajal Ghosh. “There needs to be something about our demands. Considering the fact, we have decided to go on a three-day strike from 11 September,” he added.

In October 2020, around 5.5 lakh truck operators went on a state-wise three-day strike demanding immediate implementation of the ‘Revised Safe Axle Weights for Goods Vehicles,’ among other assertions. In July 2021, the state transport department approved the demand for implementation of the ‘Revised Safe Axle Weights for Goods Vehicles.’