Transcription & Editorial Assistance: Sarada Vishnubhatla
Watch the TV interview in Hindi @
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuCHQZQd_zU&feature=youtu.be
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All trade bodies are talking about wayside amenities for truck drivers. What’s happening on the ground?
Ramesh Gulati: In Dudu, Rajasthan, a Drivers Service Center was built by Agarwal Packers and Movers. It is a wonderful idea of Ramesh Agarwal. In this Center, they advise drivers to sleep for a minimum of 6-8 hours compulsorily. Since drivers do not get enough sleep, it causes maximum number of accidents. People say that accidents happen due to their liquor intake but more than their liquor habit there are two main causes of accidents – one, drivers do not get to sleep enough and second is their weak eye-sight.
Those drivers whose eyes are weak do not inform their owners for the fear that the owner will take away their job. This seems to be the biggest reason for the driver not informing his owner. We, at All India Transporters Welfare Association (AITWA), regularly organise eye check-up camps for the drivers where doctors are called in who check their eyes and we give the drivers spectacles free of cost.
Apart from this, there is the issue of wayside amenities. A number of times we have, on behalf of the government, pursued the transport ministry, National Highways Authority of India and all those who work towards creating road safety that NHAI should give a little land so that the wayside amenities can be built. Government must give a piece of land for this. Highways should have wayside amenities. If such amenities are available on the highways, then the drivers can park their trucks properly at a place and take rest.
There could be an arrangement for food also there; little things like need to urinate. There are absolutely no such facilities. If these facilities are given, then the drivers need not park their trucks on the road itself, which may get hit by another truck coming along the same road. Also, there is no electricity in such places. That is why the traffic coming down the road simply hits the parked truck. Most of the accidents happen because of this reason.
Another reason is that the police hiding behind the bushes along the road make a sudden appearance and the driver in complete panic loses control and collides with something or the other. In India there are 18 authorities, which have the right to stop a truck at any given time and place. These 18 authorities have the power to stop a truck anytime and anywhere. As a result, our truck is hardly able to ply 270-300 kilometers. In foreign countries, their vehicles run from 500-700 kilometers on any single day; though we want this here, it cannot happen. These 18 authorities are brought under control, the way it is so in China and other countries where there is only one authority, which has the authorization to stop a truck at any place. Here, it must be reduced and for this we have explained to the transport minister in detail.
Recently, we had a huge meeting in Delhi, which was attended by Transport commissioners from all states. On behalf of AITWA, I had raised the issue of reducing the number of such authorities from 18. When the Transport Minister Oscar Fernandes puts the same question to the commissioners, not one of them was able to say that there are 18 authorities in control here. They merely said there are only about 2 or 3 authorities. No one could say that there are 18 authorities who rule over stopping the trucks. Then, we approached the minister to say that we will give you all the details and the whole list will be sent to the commissioners. We sent it also, with all the details and the entire issue.
If our vehicle travels for 500 kilometers then imagine to what extent our economy will grow. It’s a matter of just one issue which if the transport ministry addresses, then it will do wonders for our industry. The other issue is of the wayside amenities, which is crucial. If built, they will reduce accidents and economy too will grow. Cargo will reach on time since our roads are in good condition.
Recently, I was speaking to a driver, Jaishankar Sharma who is a driver from Sultanpur. He was telling me that the government has issued new rules to tackle overloading... one has to pay ten times the original fine and on top of that, the excess load will be removed... only if the excess load is removed, the truck can go ahead. The driver was saying this will only increase bribe-taking but will not solve the overloading issue. what do you think about this?
We want overloading issue to get resolved but corruption is another issue. The government must look into it. That is why I am repeating myself that these 18 authorities and the police which wield power over us must be removed or else nothing can happen. Our Carriers Act was written in 1865 and they included everything in it. We had made a committee which was supposed to issue a report in a month’s time... but even after two years now, there has been no report... This is when the commissioner of Rajasthan was the chairman of the committee but they still have not submitted the report.
We have submitted a letter to the Minister and the Secretary saying that by Feburary 28 they must submit the report and an agreement must be made. It is so because they have made registration of transporters compulsory. We agree to it but they have included a de-registration clause and a subrogation clause. We have had complete discussions about this, we all agreed also. So the Act must be changed according to the mutually agreed terms. But they want our companies to shut down. They will shut down the company for a week on committing the first mistake; on the second one, the company will be closed for a month. We have said this will not happen. Imagine if a company shuts down what will happen to the resulting unemployment. Neither is the transport ministry creating employment for him nor are they regularizing our industry.
This must be given the status of an industry. So if by Feb 28, they do not do this immediately, our industry is going to start an agitation against this and it will be a strong one from across all over India. They will have to do this by the deadline and we have already given this in writing. Carrier Act of 1865 is still continuing without any changes despite Parliament passing it and our stakeholders also having given their views over it. They must implement all these things. Our request to the government is for it to immediately ask for the report, get it passed by the Law Ministry and then revise the rules. The Act has been passed by the Parliament, only thing left is for the rules to be amended immediately.
It is no secret that few transport companies pay drivers any salary as such nor are they given any social security benefits. Is AITWA, trade body representing big fleet owners, going to tackle this issue?
You know that there is a severe short supply of drivers and it is a big issue. In this context, we held a big conference in association with International Road Transport Union, after which we had decided to open an institute for drivers in collaboration with the government or with the help of our members. …
Training institutes are fine, apart from that the drivers who are working... there are lakhs of drivers in India who are working in this field... but they get paid by the transport owners on point-to-point basis, no one pays them a monthly salary... the day he does not go to work or if he falls sick for 15 days and he goes home, he will not get paid at all. What is AITWA thinking about it, how is it going to tackle this issue, how to bring these people back into mainstream?
Quite right. Something should be done for these drivers... Look a pilot gets paid so well but our drivers are a suppressed lot, they are not given any respect... a driver moves a cargo worth a few crores but even a low-ranked police officer also can take him to task.
We all know this but what is the solution for this? How do you tackle this? How do you stop these malpractices?
This must surely be stopped. We must do something for drivers; but first the industry must get regularized, for which we are trying, we are talking to the government; then their salary, a uniform salary along with PF and gratuity and other related facilities must be given to them, facilities like medical services are also not available ... on top of which, they get into abusing of drugs or they keep away from home for 20 to 25 days a month... a system must get created for them wherein if a driver is going from Delhi to Bombay... then there should be a mid-point where the driver is sent back home and a new driver takes over to go ahead and reach the destination... This way at least the driver need not be away from his family for 20 or 25 days a month. Our companies must plan a system like that...
How long have you been in this industry?
I have been in this industry from 2003 onwards.
Ok... Have you seen any changes for the welfare of drivers happening in these 10 years?
I have not seen many changes happening regarding the welfare of drivers... then about their salaries... I have seen companies progressing but according to me not much has been done for the sake of the drivers... there is a great need to do something for them. Simple things like free eye check-ups and the like keep happening, but no one is thinking about their complete health or a proper salary for them and then drivers are in short supply. They say, a truck must have two drivers when plying when even one driver’s availability is so difficult. It is important for our industry and the companies to think and do something about this so that our trucks ply 500 kilometers at least. We must make a procedure policy with the help of the government.
Who is the biggest culprit?
What can I say... Owners want maximum profits but I would say the biggest culprit is the transport ministry. They only think about roads but there is no one to think about transport. There are many who think for the roads but no one talks about transport nor do something about it. This makes it very difficult for us. The Ministry of Transport must take the lead and also the big leaders in our transport industry who deal in crores, who own 1000s of trucks they must take the initiative. One who owns one or two trucks is at the receiving end of all this - he drives his own truck and then comes back.
What is the situation of the transport industry at the moment?
Those owning one or two trucks are the ones facing the maximum problem... They are in a hand-to-mouth situation.
What is the future?
Till the time government does not think about it or till such time the big players of our industry do not take the lead, till then nothing will happen. All must think about how to help the industry grow. It is for their benefit also... small fleet owners cannot do much... there will be cut-throat competition for even slim profit margins. We should not compete so much amongst ourselves because only then we can work together.
Interview conducted @ AITWA headquarters, New Delhi, February 2014
