File photo of union minister Nitin Gadkari
Keen to avert a proposed transport strike from October 1, the government today said it's serious about resolving the issues, and asked transporters to join for talks instead of "hampering their as well as nation's interest".
"We also want they do not face any problems at toll plazas... My appeal is to them that instead of a strike, they furnish me with suggestions (on what can be done) and hold discussions," Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari told PTI.
"Our doors are open to them for discussions. They should talk to us and withdraw the decision of strike."
Transporters' body AIMTC, which claims to represent 93 lakh truckers and 50 lakh bus operators, has announced an indefinite nation-wide strike from October 1 against the toll collection system, saying it has become a tool for corruption and harassment.
The All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) maintained that it's ready to pay a higher toll, but that should be collected as indirect tax because of harassment by different agencies.
Mr Gadkari said, "The government is positive. If they proceed on strike, not just them, but the country will suffer losses... We will hold talks with them."
Earlier, Road Transport and Highways Secretary Vijay Chhibber too had appealed AIMTC to call off the decision to go on strike.
"They are not wrong in terms of issues, the issue is not the toll amount. This is not against toll payment. There are police and other agencies in states. Even if we remove the toll plazas, the agencies harassing them will harass them. It is a governance issue, corruption issue which can only be solved at the level of state governments," Mr Chhibber has said.
Seeking Prime Minister's intervention, AIMTC has said that despite being the highest taxpayers, the transport sector is "on the verge of collapse due to a plethora of taxes, regressive policies and laws that only strengthened the web of corruption, harassment, and extortion".
"Toll barriers are indeed symbols of colonial attitude and have become dens of harassment and corruption. The transport fraternity of India cannot sustain operations in light of burgeoning corruption, harassment, and time delays and therefore, wants that the revenue may be collected as indirect taxation," AIMTC asserted.
It alleged that the toll collection is not transparent and prone to malpractices, and frequent stoppages at toll barriers result in a loss of Rs 87,000 crore on account of manhours and fuel as per an IIM study.
CAG too, it said, has pointed to mismanagement of funds on administrative and financial matters in this regard.
The body has cautioned that in the case of a nation-wide strike, the country would suffer losses to the tune of Rs 1,500-1,700 crore per day on account of a total halt of essential supplies.