Strike by J&K transporters deferred, may take effect from February 25

Srinagar: All Jammu and Kashmir Transporters Welfare Committee — an amalgam of various transport associations— on Tuesday deferred by a day its indefinite strike which was scheduled to begin from Wednesday.

General Secretary of the association, Sheikh Muhammad Yusuf, said that a meeting is scheduled on February 24 afternoon with Finance Commissioner, Finance Department, who is also the chairman of Fare and Freight Committee comprising of Transport Commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu divisions.

“Our representatives held a meeting with officials in Jammu, and, in principle, they accepted our demands as genuine,” he said. “In wake of the development, we have decided to defer by one day our strike and if nothing concrete comes up with the meeting (with financial Commissioner), our indefinite strike shall begin from February 25.”

The association has demanded a revision of transport fare amidst the skyrocketing of petroleum prices during the past few years. “In such a situation, transporters have no other option but to go for an indefinite strike to press for fare revision,” Sheikh said.

The association also demands a roll back of tax for the lockdown months.

All type of commercial vehicles including buses, trucks, tankers, mini-buses, Sumos/ Taxies/Tempo-Travelers, auto-rickshaws etc shall remain off the road from Lakhanpur (Punjab border) to Uri in Kashmir if the indefinite strike takes effect, they said. “Government will be responsible for the inconvenience to the general public,” the association has maintained.

The association said they have submitted the cost of operation in the office of the Transport Commissioner for revision in passenger fare because the rate of petroleum products has been increasing day-by-day. “Passenger fare was revised in April 2018. Then the rate of diesel was Rs 65 a litre but it is more than Rs 84, which is not bearable for transporters in J&K,” the JKTWA said in a statement. (GNS)