CITU to hold 15-min halt protest against MV Act amendment

CHENNAI: In a novel way of protest, the CITU has urged motorists to halt their vehicles for 15 minutes starting at 12 noon on Tuesday to demand the State government not to implement the Motor Vehicle Amendment Act and strengthen public transport.

In a statement, the trade union sought public support for the protest by stopping their vehicles for 15 minutes till 12.15 pm seeking repeal of the Motor Vehicle Amendment Act that aims to destroy the road transport sector and the workers depended on it for livelihood.

It said the State government should not implement the amendment, pointing out that several states have decided not to enforce it. “The State government should also withdraw the steep increase in the traffic violation fines,” it said.

“Across the country, 60 per cent of the goods transport and 80 per cent of the passenger transport happens through road transport. At least 10 crore people depend on road transport sector for their livelihood. In Tamil Nadu alone, nearly 30 lakh people, including drivers, mechanics and others, are engaged in this sector,” CITU said in a statement.

Recalling one of the instances, Tamil Nadu Auto Thozhilalar Sammelanam working president S Balasubramanian said a vehicle driver was levied a fine of Rs 26,000 for overload, as he had carried Rs 1,300 worth of onion. He added the MV Amendment Act wanted to privatise the fitness certificate issuing authority. “The works that were easily done through the driving schools will be corporatised. The FC charges would be steeply hiked and local workshops would be replaced with the automated corporate workshops,” he alleged.