Govt mum on speed governor rule review
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The State Transport Department has refused to intervene and provide relief to transporters by either giving them more time to fit speed governors or scrapping the rule completely, as the order has come from the Supreme Court. Lakhs of cab and truck owners have threatened to go on a massive strike from June 1 to force the government to withdraw the rule that limits the speed of commercial vehicles to 60 kmph. The strike threatens to affect the supply of essential commodities, including milk and vegetables. But the state government is still cold to the pleas of the transporters. The Transport Commissioner has said that a decision can be taken only at the state government level and he does not have a say in it.
The All-India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), the organisation that has called the strike, has said that around 7.65 lakh commercial vehicles, including 80,000 taxis and 55,000 maxi-cabs, would go off the road. The state government realises that the strike would bring the commercial activity in the state to a complete halt, but is helpless in providing any succour to the transporters.
Transport Commissioner T. Sham Bhat told Deccan Chronicle: “Though the AIMTC has announced the strike, we have not received any letter from them on their demands. But the department cannot do anything as the issue has to be tackled at the state government level.” On Monday, a delegation of the AIMTC from Bengaluru visited New Delhi to announce the strike. They said that the speed governor rule not only restricts the speed of vehicles, but also burdens pockets of transporters.
“We have informed the local units of all the 31 states about the strike and directed them not to enter Karnataka from June 1 as their vehicles will be fined if not fitted with speed governors. Lakhs of commercial vehicles ply in Karnataka. The value of many of these vehicles could be around Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000, ,” said a member of the AIMTC K.G. Ravindra.
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