West Bengal is expected to witness a 72-hour strike starting at 6 a.m. on Wednesday as truckers come on the road to protest against several issues, including the demand for a ban on overloading. The Federation of West Bengal Truck Operators Association (WBTOA) declared the strike, which could disrupt the supply of essential commodities during the critical pre-festive period.
Subhas Chandra Bose, an official of the WBTOA, emphasized that overloading continues despite repeated pleas to stop the practice. He pointed out that overloading not only deprives truck owners of fair transport fees but also causes damage to roads and vehicles while increasing the risk of accidents.
Truckers have also raised concerns about illegal fees being imposed at weighbridges in districts like Birbhum and Coochbehar, where charges of Rs 236 per truck are levied to allow overloading. The strike is further fueled by complaints of police and land revenue officer harassment, as well as a sharp drop in cargo volume, with nearly 3 lakh trucks out of the state’s estimated 7 lakh currently out of operation.