Aggarwal questioned the need to levy toll tax when transporters were already paying road tax and fuel cess. "We have reconciled to the high road tax and cess but the government should not levy toll tax along with it. The three forms of taxes should not come together," he said.

AIMTC said that the ministry officials had assured them of some relief after the issue was properly studied.

The transporters' body has also urged the ministry to maintain status quo in permit fee, insurance fee, road taxes, etc. with a view to promoting new transporters who are passing through tough times. "The government should help them in consolidating business," Aggarwal noted.

The governmentplans to raise Rs 4,900 crore by way of diesel cess and Rs 700 crore from petrol cess.

AIMTC has also appealed that transporters be brought out of the purview of the outdated Carrier Act, 1865. "When airlines and the Railways have been exempted from the purview of the Act, why should we be put under it," he said.

According to Aggarwal, under the Act, transporters are required to pay 20 per cent of the damages for cargo to insurance companies. "We earn nothing from it, in fact our vehicles suffer damages. The insurance company, on the other hand, earns from premium," he claimed. After a day's convention last week, the apex body of transporters had urged the government to take stringent action for preventing highway robberies. "Special secretary (home) M Kaushal has assured us that the ministry of home affairs will constitute a taskforce for stepping up highway patrolling. Local committees will also be set up. They will hold meeting every two months," Aggarwal said.

Road diplomacy underSaarc

In an extension of the road diplomacy, the ministry of surface transport will be holding a meeting of SAARC transporters associations on May 19.

The meeting is likely to work out details for allowing free movement of trucks within the SAARC region. Second round of talks is scheduled for July 29.

AIMTC will host a convention of transporters from the SAARC nations in December to take stock of progress in the talks.

AIMTC was founded way back in 1936 at Lahore. It later moved its headquarters to New Delhi. Its president OP Agarwal has accepted an invitation from his Pakistani counterparts to visit their country.

"Business and trade can get a big boost if friendship and brotherhood is promoted among the SAARC countries," said Agarwal. "For instance, we had good crop in the country this year while Bangladesh suffered heavy losses. If we are able to transport food items to Bangladesh a lot of business can be generated," he added.

Similarly, cost of transporting goods to the North-East can bereduced to a large extent if the route via Bangladesh is made available.

At present, a Delhi-based trader can send cargo to Lahore only through the Mumbai-Dubai-Karachi sea route, he pointed out.