Jaipur: Private buses of all categories will go on a one-day strike on Dec 31 to protest against the transport department’s actions concerning luggage carriers installed on their vehicles.State president of the bus operators’ association, Satyanarayan Sahu, said, “Around 30,000 buses of all categories like sleeper, stage carriage, contract carriage, will remain on a one-day strike on December 31 to protest the govt’s action on luggage carriers. We want to get the govt’s attention and after the one-day strike, further strategy will be decided.”The All Rajasthan Tourist Car Association threatened to stage a major protest in the first week of January outside the transport department office against the action. “In Rajasthan, there is an atmosphere of fear among those operating vehicles such as taxis and among the public. If the state govt does not stop issuing challans for carriers, a major protest will be held in the first week of Jan. All organisations associated with the transport services are coming together on one platform this time to protest against the govt and the transport department,” said Dilip Singh Mehroli, from the All Rajasthan Tourist Car Association. The state transport department has instructed all regional transport officers and district transport officers to remove luggage carriers from stage carriage buses by December 31. Officials said this decision was taken to prevent overloading of goods in buses, which leads to accidents. Transport Commissioner Purusottam Sharma said, “Luggage carriers are not allowed on any kind of passenger vehicles and action is being taken on both private and govt buses to remove these carriers. This is very important for road safety.”
