Bhubaneswar: In a significant development, the All Odisha Transport Workers’ Federation today submitted a memorandum to Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari opposing the introduction of Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the Lok Sabha.
The memorandum was submitted to the Union Minister through Bhubaneswar Additional District magistrate (ADM) by a delegation led by federation All Odisha Auto Chalaka Mahasangha general secretary Padman Kumar Samal and Pravat Panigrahi of the federation.
According to the memorandum, the proposed MV Act (Amendment) Bill 2019 is anti-workers, anti-industry and anti-people. It cannot reduce the number of accidents.
“In order to reduce the accident the roads should be widen and lanes should be earmarked. The roads should be widened keeping in view the increase of number of vehicles.
The bad condition of road is primary factor of such high number of accidents,” stated the memorandum.
“The proposed Bill negates the workers’ right. The State owned Transport Corporation will be wiped out and private garages, spare parts shops and driving training schools will be closed. And the workers working in these sectors will be jobless. Auto-rickshaw will be replaced by OLA and Uber Taxies and lakhs of auto-rickshaw drivers will be left without any income,” it stated.
Gadkari introduced the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019, in Lok Sabha that proposed changes to only three sections from an earlier amendment bill, which had lapsed with the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha.