Transport ministry meets truckers to resolve issues

New Delhi: The transport ministry held a review meeting with trucker associations in the country on Friday to take stock of problems faced in moving goods across the country during the lockdown. Transport minister Nitin Gadkari had asked officers earlier this week to reach out to truckers. India has been under a nationwide lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak.

“We wanted to understand their concerns and are working to see that their movement is facilitated,” a transport ministry official told ET.

Transport associations have demanded that the government should help build confidence among drivers to come back to work and ensure this through publicity in the media, said a person present at the meeting.

Meanwhile, truck associations have also demanded that the government should extend Rs 25-50 lakh insurance to drivers affected by Covid-19. “We have received an in-principle approval from the government and we are expecting an announcement on the same any time now,” the person said.

ET reported on April 7 that only 10-15% of the 8 million truck fleet was operational at the moment, which has affected the movement of essential commodities.