Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (KM/AF)

Mangalore, Feb 20: Movement of lorries and other vehicles is likely to be suspended across the district indefinitely from Friday February 22 in the wake of making speed governor mandatory and penalising erring vehicles heavily, said Manohar Narvekar, president of Mangalore goods transport association (MGTA) here at a press conference on Wednesday February 20.

Narvekar said that the government order will give rise to difficulties both technically and financially as it limits the speed of lorries and other vehicles to 40 kilometres and the speed governor is too expensive to afford. Hence suspending the movement of lorries and vehicles is the final resort, he said.

'Non-cooperation' by office-bearers of MGTA in this regard is not strike 'but protest and outburst of helplessness,' he said and added that the call to observe the protest is not mandatory. Lorry owners have been requested to cooperate voluntarily.

Expressing strong doubt about the intention behind making use of speed governors mandatory in the state, Narvekar said the price of speed governor in Delhi is about Rs 2,000 but here the price is about Rs 18,000. The seed of suspicion lies in the 'unnatural difference,' he added.

The call applies especially to those vehicles which are not fitted with the speed governors, he stressed.

K H Halaiah, treasurer and Naresh Kumar Sharma, secretary of MGTA were present at the press conference.