Transporters have deferred their indefinite strike call for one day following a meeting with the Government representatives on Tuesday evening in Jammu.
“We had a detailed meeting with the Commissioner Secretary Transport Hardesh Kumar regarding our demands,” All J&K Transport Welfare Association member Vijay Chib told the Greater Kashmir.
“We have decided to defer the strike call till tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow, we have another round of talks with Government representatives i.e., the Financial Commissioner Arun Kumar Mehta, Commissioner Secretary Transport, Hardesh Kumar, Transport Commissioner and others at Civil Secretariat at 12 noon.”
“We have not called off the strike. If our demands are not accepted, we have only the option to go ahead with the planned strike,” Chib said.
Chib said that if they go on strike in J&K over 80000 commercial vehicles will remain off road. Soon after the announcement of indefinite strike call, the Government invited them for talks.
The transport leader said, “We are demanding revision of passenger fare in view of price hike of diesel, roll-back of token tax which has been doubled, and financial package for the transporters whose vehicles remained stranded during covid-19 period.”
“The commercial vehicles have suffered major setbacks and the Government must validate the documents of the vehicles that remained stranded for one year due to covid-19 period,” he said.
Speaking to the media, Abdul Qayoom Wani, a prominent transport leader, said: “We are not able to pay our drivers and conductors due to the increase in diesel price, and other taxes. The Government should give financial support for the revival of the transport sector.”
The transporters had also organized a one-day strike on January 6, 2021, in support of their demands.