Transporters throughout Jammu Kashmir are gearing up to hold a token hunger strike on the 30th day of March in the entire region calling for the withdrawal of three orders issued by the Jammu Kashmir administration.
The transporters have given a ten-day time for the admin to revoke the “anti-poor” orders or they will hit the streets from 9th April 2022.
The recent orders have asked to reduce the shell life of public vehicles to 20 years and also asked the transporters to install a GPS system.
Speaking to The Kashmiriyat, the transporters said that the transport department has a huge contract with brokers who sell the GPS systems. “We cannot afford the GPS system at the moment. We have just started recovering from the losses faced since the abrogation of article 370 in 2019,” transporters association of South Kashmir spokesperson said.
The transport sector in Jammu Kashmir as a result of successive interruptions resulted in huge losses to the apparent backbone of tens of thousands of people associated with the sector.
“The viability of the transport sector particularly the public transport sector has come to standstill since August 2019 in JK, last 2 years of COVID lockdown has also added the suffering of this sector to an extent that people associated with this sector or not in a position to feed their families. The vehicles of transporters were lying almost idle since the last 2 years,” he said.
The Transport Department had issued an order vide No.08-3K (TR) of 2022 dated 07-02-2022 stating that all commercial vehicles shall be phased out after twenty years in non-attainment cities i. e Jammu and Srinagar.
The association spokesman said that they met Transport Commissioner and a meeting was convened on 21-02-2022 under the Chairmanship of Commissioner/ Secretary to Govt. Transport Department and Commissioner Secretary assured all transport Associations/ Companies/Unions that this order will be revoked or will be kept in abeyance and Commissioner/Secretary Transport issued on spot directions to Transport Commissioner, and all ARTO’s of both the divisions for renewal of fitness of all commercial vehicles beyond 20 years.
“The RTO’s and ARTO’s of Jammu Kashmir Divisions denied the renewing of fitness certificates and other allied documents of all commercial/passenger vehicles. The transporters association has demanded the revocation of the order No.08 JK (TR) of 2022 dated 07-02-2022,” he stated.
In another circular, the Transport Department has issued an order vide No.TC/JK/ MV/ 2022/ 774-797 dated 16-03-2022 for installing Vehicle Tracking Device in all commercial vehicles which are against the circular instructions issued by MoRTH vide 0.5453(E) read with 5454(E) dated 25-08-2018.
Speaking to The Kashmiriyat, the spokesperson said that due to huge losses suffered by the transport sector, the transporters of Jammu Kashmir are not in a position to install the device in all commercial/passenger vehicles.
The Transporters of Jammu Kashmir UT have unanimously demanded the revocation of the order.
In a third order, the Transport Department has issued order vide No.TC/3K/ MV/2022/750-773 dated 16-03- 2022 stating that the “Intensive Drive shall be launched for the collection of the passenger tax and no route permit renewal transfer of vehicles and fitness of vehicles shall be allowed unless the passenger tax due is deposited by the vehicle owners.”
The transporters of Big Medium and Mini Buses Tourist Ta. Maxi Cab including Tampoo Travellers and Auto Rikshaws has bee victim of successive interruptions, transporters of Jammu & Kashmir L are not in a position to deposit passenger tax arrears in full and fins The transporters first plea was waiving off token tax and passenger t in favour of Transporters of J&K UT from August 2019 to December 2021. The Government passenger taxes in respect of all commercial vehicles for six months period, now the transport department is forcing the transporters to deposit the passenger tax arrears in full and final which is injustice to the transporters of Jammu Kashmir.
The J&K Transporters Welfare Association had demanded that the transporters will deposit passenger tax arrears in 18 equal installments.
The Spokesman of the association said, “In order to decongest Srinagar and Jammu cities all Companies/ Associations were shifted from Prime locations of Srinagar and Jammu cities on the directions of Hon’ble High Court. The idea put forth is taken to ensure that the city of Srinagar and Jammu are decongested off traffic mess.”
“However, he said, “Now the SRTC buses and Medium-sized buses have started illegal operation of their fleet on all routes of Jammu and Srinagar cities which causes huge losses to the owners, drivers of Big Buses, Mini Buses, Maxi Cabs. It is further submitted that the orders passed by the Hon’ble High Court are not followed by the SRTC Officers. The commitment of SRTC Buses with commuters is not consistent, during evening hours, these Big/Medium Buses are missing on the routes and the system losses its stand and no transport system remains in place to follow.”