Truckers hit Art 370 barrier at Lakhanpur

Vikram Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 27

The government’s suspension of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination notes has hit the transport sector in Jammu and Kashmir hard as its entire business has come to a standstill.

The foremost reason is Article 370 of the state that impediments free flow of inter-state trade.

As per the excise and taxation officials at the Lakhanpur toll plaza, tax is levied upon all vehicles coming or leaving Jammu as per the taxation guidelines of the state. However, truckers allege that since all toll plazas across the country have gone tax-free after demonetisation, the state should have also followed the guidelines.

“As the Lakhanpur toll plaza is not under the National Highway 1 obligations, it is the state’s tax that is levied upon the vehicles. We haven’t got any instructions to exempt the toll on the vehicles,” said a toll plaza official.

The transporters said transportation of goods was done on cash only that had been hampered severely. “Besides, the tax deducted at Lakhanpur is not accepted in banned denomination notes that add to the problems. The state government should have directed the Lakhanpur plaza to accept the defunct currency till the period it has decided for other essential services,” said truck driver Jigar Singh from Udhampur.

Similarly, Nanak Singh, former chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Transport Union, said half of the business had already been dented due to financial crunch as transporters who ferry goods across the nation through trucks had been rendered cashless as many small expenditures which were borne en route could not be met through cheque and cash in hand did not suffice.

“Ferrying petrol and diesel from the depot to different pumps and its loading and unloading is a tough job, which if not done on time, brings losses to the tankers and drivers who lose money in the process. There is a GPS system fitted in the circuit that connects the three viz depot, driver and receiver which remains active in the transit. Waiting in queue for ATMs or withdrawing small amounts from banks cannot keep the system running and hence the entire network is collapsing,” said JS Rissam, former president of the Petrol Tankers Association, Jammu and Kashmir. Meanwhile, Road Transport Officer (RTO), Kathua, Amarjeet Singh said since Lakhanpur toll plaza did not fall under the National Highway obligations, it could deduct tax for all vehicles entering or leaving the state.

“There remains a misconception about Lakhanpur toll plaza. It is not like other toll plazas of the country which take toll meant for maintenance of the roads of the highway. This plaza is attached to the Excise Department and state tax is being levied since long,” said Amarjeet Singh.

He also said the plaza did not accept old high denomination notes from the truckers and other private vehicles as no government order had been issued in this regard.

The RTO informed that a new mechanism had been established at the plaza where the owners could transfer the money online to the plaza without causing any problem to the all-India permit truckers.