Guidelines for lorries will halt the supply of essentials: Transport associations

Transport associations said waiting at the border for test results without food and security would be extremely difficult. Representation pic

Fresh Covid-19-related guidelines issued by the Maharashtra government on Thursday will bring the essential services supply chain to a standstill since it mandates all cargo lorry drivers to carry latest test reports and certificates, which, transport associations said, may not be practically possible. They shot off a petition to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray seeking reconsideration and offering solutions.

"A vehicle carrying goods/cargo from Delhi takes 72 hours to reach Maharashtra. Similarly, all South-India bound commercial vehicles coming from Rajasthan or Gujarat have to pass through Maharashtra.

How will they get the RT-PCR test done en route? They will have to abandon/leave the vehicle on the highway without any security of material, go inside the city, get a test done, wait for the report for 48 hours, and then enter Maharashtra," Kultaran Singh Atwal, president of the All-India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), said.

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"The drivers are not capable enough to search for labs and get tests done. Expecting such compliance by mostly illiterate drivers is next to impossible. Waiting at borders without food, water and security is yet another challenge. Cargo carriers are transporting essential commodities, FMCG products, medicines, medical equipment, oxygen tankers, concentrators and cylinders, export-import cargo, etc. The test rule will bring everything to a standstill and result in utter chaos. Even the state's manufacturing will be hit," he said.

Offering solutions, he said, "It would be prudent to create free rapid antigen tests facilities at border check-posts that don't take more than two to three hours. Food, water and hospitable treatment should also be provided by authorities."

"We have written to the CM regarding the ill-conceived guidelines. The provisions must be revisited and rectified," Bal Malkit Singh, chairman, core committee and former president, All-India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), said.

Transport department officials did not comment on the guidelines and said the Maharashtra government would be the appropriate authority to respond.