Haryana transporters go on strike

Chandigarh, Jan 6 (IANS) Thousands of trucks and long-body trailers went off the roads in Haryana Tuesday, with an association of transporters alleging that they were being harassed for getting new fitness certificates for their vehicles.

The transporters said the strike would continue indefinitely till the Haryana government withdrew its notification under which all heavy vehicles require fresh fitness certificates from the transport department.

The transport department, which has senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka as commissioner, had last month issued a notification, saying all heavy vehicles need to adhere to new criteria on dimensions of these vehicles before they are issued fitness certificates to ply on roads.

"Over 90,000 heavy vehicles have been affected by the strike. We will continue the strike indefinitely till the government withdraws the notification. Our vehicles have been issued certificates earlier and have been plying like this for years," said Ashwini Sharma, president Automobile Carrier Welfare Association.

Sources said there were nearly 3.5 lakh transport vehicles plying in Haryana and the strike would affect business.

Gurgaon, the industrial hub of Haryana, alone has over 60,000 heavy vehicles which transport automobiles (cars, two-wheelers and others) from big manufacturers like Maruti-Suzuki, Honda and others.