Mumbai: Despite nationwide lockdown truck rentals have surged by 75 to 85% for essential items of fruits and vegetables transport. This is despite waiver in toll fees, postponement of EMIs on truck loan and Motor Vehicle 3rd party insurance policy cover.
Indian Foundation of Trans p - ort Research and Training Senior Fellow SP Singh said, “The truck rentals on major routes are higher as load is available only one way in the absence of return load as manufacturing activities are at a halt since March 25.’’
He said the one-way rental for 18 ton payload truck on Hyderabad-Delhi was Rs55,000 (as on March 24) which has now surged to Rs90,000, for Nagpur-Delhi from Rs45,000 to Rs78,000, for Ranchi-Delhi Rs48,000 to Rs75,000, for Nashik-Delhi from Rs45,000 to Rs75,000 and for Indore-Delhi from Rs35,000 to Rs60,000.
Meanwhile, Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar held a videoconference with state govts, asking them to sensitise field agencies about exemptions to farm activities and allow movement of farm produce, farm products, fertilisers and machinery during the lockdown.
