Commercial vehicles to go on indefinite strike from Jan 25

New Delhi, Dec 29 (UNI) Commercial vehicles across the country, including trucks, tankers, buses and taxis, will go off the roads indefinitely from January 25 unless the government withdraws ''the arbitray ad hoc increase'' in rates of premium for Third Party motor insurance.

The decision was taken at a meeting of commercial vehicle owners held under the aegis of All India Confederation of Goods Vehicle Owners' Associations (ACOGOA) at Bangalore.

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) has announced an ad hoc increase in Third Party motor insurance, to be effective from the New Year's Day.

ACOGOA President B. Channa Reddy said the organisation had decided to make an appeal to Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Minister T R Baalu and Finance Minister P. Chidambaram to withhold the ''arbitrary and ad hoc premium hike'' and review it based on adequate cogent data which IRDA was reportedly trying to generate.

''Any autocratic fiat to subjugate the insured vehicle owners will be resisted in all legitimate manners, including stoppage of operations,'' Mr. Reddy said, adding that ACOGOA would spearhead the agitation on behalf of all types of commercial vehicles.

He said the meeting discussed various issues affecting the functioning of commercial vehicles, such as the dubious record of PSUs with regard to Third Party (TP) claims outgo, private insurers' blatant defiance of statutes by refusing to write TP Motor Policy and the endeavour of IRDA to placate the recalcitrant PSU insurance companies.

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