10,000 trailers to go off roads from November 22

Source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/10000-trailers-to-go-off-roads-from-november-22/222870.html

By G Saravanan

Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai, on November 14, 2010:

CHENNAI: Irked over the State government’s continuing neglect in maintaining arterial roads connecting the Chennai Port, Confederation of Surface Transport -Tamil Nadu, a body of container trailers and tipper lorries associations, on Saturday announced an indefinite strike from November 22.

Speaking to reporters after chairing a meeting of various representatives to take a final call, confederation president R Sugumar said, “Arterial roads like Thiruvotriyur-Ponneri-Panchetti Road and Madhavaram-Manali Road (that were regularly used by container trailers and tipper lorries) are in bad shape. After the rains, they have become totally are not motorable.” 
Since the condition of roads (a lifeline for Chennai Port) was worsening and with neither the port nor the state government ready to understand the problems of transporters, it has been decided to suspend the plying of 10,000 container trailers including tippers, tankers and heavy lorries starting November 22, Sugumar told Express.

According to Exim sources, the loss of revenue for the government due to the proposed transporters’ strike has been pegged at Rs 500 crores per day.

The Chennai Port alone is expected to incur a revenue loss between Rs 30 crore and Rs 50 crore, the sources added.

According to the exporters, if the proposed indefinite strike begins as planned, they would be incurring a huge loss due to delay in delivering consignments of Christmas goods meant for their European Union clients.

Speaking to this reporter, R Raja, president of Chennai Trailers Owners Association, said, “We were forced to take the indefinite strike decision after the roads have become worse on the whole stretch.” The roads that are now in bad shape are part of the ambitious Ennore- Manali Road Improvement Project and the `600-crore plan that never took off.

‘Port Trust chairman always busy’

Confederation of Surface Transport- Tamil Nadu was trying to meet Atulya Misra, since the day he took over as the Chairman of Chennai Port Trust in September, but the chairman was ‘so busy’ that he reportedly did not have time to meet the very people who contribute for the growth of the port. Also, Misra is yet to meet the Chennai Trade Co-ordination Committee, consisting of stakeholders linked to sea trade.

Trailers' flash strike hits goods movement

CHENNAI: Movement of container trailers and goods from Chennai Port came to a total standstill on Saturday morning after the drivers of trailer lorries went on a flash strike seeking action against those who attacked one of their colleagues near Ernavur in North Chennai on Friday night.

Traffic along the 15 km stretch from Kasimedu to Ponneri was affected with drivers abandoning the vehicles on the roadside.

According to sources, trailer driver A Sekar was brutally attacked by a group of people reportedly close to a powerful local politician when he was reversing his loaded container trailer. They also attacked him with iron rods after a minor altercation.