The Delhi Taxi and Tourist Transporters and Tour Operators Association has announced a protest march to Parliament on August 4, opposing the implementation of ethanol-blended petrol.
At a press conference
on Friday, association president Sanjay Samrat addressed concerns raised by transport operators and vehicle owners over the use of E20 fuel. Holding sugarcanes during the briefing, he said many transporters had reported issues related to fuel efficiency, maintenance expenses and vehicle performance.
“Transport operators and vehicle owners from different parts of the country have reported reduced fuel efficiency, higher maintenance costs, and concerns regarding engine performance after the introduction of E20 fuel. Many vehicles manufactured before 2015 are not designed for 20 per cent ethanol blended petrol…This form of fuel is actually fit for new model vehicles…” Samrat said.
Concerns Over Fuel Costs
Questioning the use of blended petrol, Samrat said vehicle owners were already facing financial pressure due to operational challenges.
“When people are paying for petrol, and the government increases the price of this fuel, why are we getting blended petrol? We are facing growing economic pressure due to regulatory operation challenges…” he said.
The association said its protest march will seek an independent scientific review of the ethanol blending policy. The review, it said, should involve vehicle owners, consumers, transport operators, automobile manufacturers and technical experts.
Review Tourist Vehicle Speed Limit
Jitendra Bobby, a member of the association, also raised concerns over the mandatory 80-km-per-hour speed limit for All India Tourist Permit taxis and buses.
He argued that while modern highways and expressways allow higher speeds for private vehicles, commercial tourist vehicles continue to face restrictions. According to him, the limit affects operational efficiency, passenger satisfaction and business viability.
The association has urged other taxi and truck unions to join the protest march and expects thousands of cab drivers and truckers to participate.
Its key demands include an independent review of the E20 ethanol blending policy, an audit and investigation into the implementation of Panic Buttons and Vehicle Location Tracking Devices (VLTD), and a review of the 80-km-per-hour speed limit for tourist vehicles.
The association has also demanded reconsideration of vehicle scrappage policies affecting older vehicles, a review of restrictions on BS-IV diesel tourist vehicles, and a reduction in high toll taxes.
Protest To Be Non-Political
Clarifying the nature of the protest, Samrat said the demonstration would focus only on issues affecting commercial vehicle users.
“We will be staging a protest and march to parliament. It will be a peaceful protest, and it is not going to be political as our association is not associated with any political party. We are just going to raise actual issues of commercial vehicle users and urge the central and state government to initiate constructive dialogue with all stakeholders and address their concerns,” he said.
