AGARTALA, April 27 (TIWN): Tripura prepares to observe transport operators strike on April 30 along with the whole Country. In the Meantime, CITU had started campaign in favour of the strike.

The new Motor Vehicle Act, under the garb of minimizing road accident deaths, is intended to throw a red carpet to big operators while depriving small players and workers of their livelihood, opined the speakers at a roundtable of all trade unions. Appealing to all transporters to observe a total strike on April 30 to demand withdrawal of the proposed Act, they said that the proposed new Act makes it imperative for transport operators including autos, taxis, mini buses, lorries and other vehicles to install GPS, compulsory wearing of seat belts by all the occupants of these vehicles. All these mean, huge investment and sale of old vehicles. Small operators and individual driver-cum-owners will not be in a position to comply with these rules and they would be thrown out of business.

On the other hand in support of the strike announced its support to nation-wide strike called by transporters on April 30. Operators of buses, trucks, autos and taxis attached to various unions and federations associated with CITU will participate in the day-long strike in protest against the Road Transport and Safety Bill, 2015.

It is to be mention that the bill contains clauses, which will result in death knell of existing 54 state road transport undertakings and is aimed at handing over the transport sector to private operators