20,000 trucks are stranded here due to the absence of demand.
Trucks in thousands are parked at Delhi's Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar, Asia's largest transport centre, as cash crunch for three straight weeks has derailed business rendering drivers and labourers jobless.
"20,000 trucks are stranded here due to the absence of demand," said Kultaran Singh Atwal, Chairman of the All India Moror Transport Congress (AIMTC) and President of the transport centre, adding, "earlier, at a given point in time no more than 5,000-6,000 trucks would be parked here."
Even when offered a job, the truckers were unable to undertake long journeys with the lack of in-hand cash, Mr Atwal said.
The truckers complaining of cash crunch are not just locals without a job, but many are from other states, stranded in Delhi since their cash in 500 and 1,000 rupee notes was declared invalid.
Many others complained that they were not able to withdraw or exchange money from banks.
"I have been waiting here for ten days now. The people at the bank say bring your ID along. Where will I get my ID from? Mine is in Punjab", said Kartar Singh from Ludhiana, highlighting the intractability of withdrawing money that a large number truck drivers like him are facing on a daily basis.
The hotels and dhabas who did accept old currency, many truckers said, did not have change. "We barely eat food worth Rs 100 and the hotel owners are unable to pay us 400 back", said driver Chanderbhan Singh.
Malkhan Singh, a truck driver from Punjab said he faced similar challenges at toll booths. "They are taking MCD (Municipal Corporation Of Delhi) tolls in Delhi for about Rs 2,600. But when one gives them 3,000 they are unable to give us back our change of 400."
But not just truck drivers, transporters also employee labourers, many of who also travel long distances with the trucks to load and unload goods.
"Earlier we had 12-14 men working on a truck. Now there are just 4-5. There is no work for labour, since nothing is being unloaded, business has come to a standstill," said Punnu Ram, a labour contractor.
Transporters said even if they had a job for a trucker, they were unable to given them cash for their journeys
"We don't have money to give the drivers (advance). You can see our godowns are empty", says Ashok Khurana, said the vice president of Transport Nagar.
Atwal adds that while some godowns are empty, some were full as movement of goods was at a standstill.
"80% of our work is cash-based. Be it filling diesel, paying tolls, drivers' food and salaries. The limit that the government has set of Rs 24,000 (per week) is not feasible for us", he said.
Transporters said an estimated of over 60% of their trucks are not moving since the government earlier this month announced ban of Rs 500 and 1,000 notes, leading to daily losses of up to Rs 450 crores.