A dhaba owner on a highway in Assam is offering a vegetarian meal for ₹1 till May 3 for truckers.
Debu Saha of Shankarnagar in Hojai district said, “At a normal rate, a meal comprising rice, dal and two vegetable curries would cost ₹50. Charging a token ₹1 from truckers, doctors and medical staff, policemen and the staff of the local administration is my way of contributing to the battle against this virus.”
Assam’s Transport Commissioner Adil Khan told The Hindu, “An entire ecosystem is linked to the trucking business. Since smooth transport of essential commodities through Assam is vital for the adjoining States too, we were one of the first in the country to identify repair shops and 45 highway dhabas across 33 districts where the truckers can have food and rest.”
The Ministry of Home Affairs on April 3 ordered the opening of truck repair shops on highways to ensure transport of goods was not affected.
Ganesh Das is one of the 85 mechanics or heavy vehicle repair shop operators allowed to open for trucks carrying essential items in Assam.
Temporarily engaged with the Food Corporation of India (FCI), Mr. Das has not had to repair any of the 1,500 trucks moving across the State every day since March-end. But being on call for any emergency repair has given him an idea: become a mobile mechanic.
“Business will not be the same again. I was planning to open a garage but I think it is better to operate from home when a set of tools can get the job done,” said Mr. Das from Netaji Nagar in Bongaigaon district of western Assam.
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At Kalain in Cachar district, Haidar Hussain has no such intention because he has invested heavily in his “motor garage”. His shop repaired “three or four trucks” because of a few bad stretches on the highway connecting Guwahati and Kalain through Meghalaya. “It is almost like not operating at all,” he said, hoping for better days.
Apart from FCI trucks carrying foodgrains, those carrying packaging materials, minerals and explosives and engaged in activities incidental to mining have been allowed.
At Bokakhat in Golaghat district, Chandrika Prasad has not been regular in opening his dhaba because of a delay in receiving permission from the local administration. “Serving a few truckers cannot be called business, but something is better than nothing,” he said.
Ranjanand Bora has been running his dhaba in Nagaon district with minimum workers. “They have been cooking for their own needs anyway. At least, the minimal business is sustaining them,” he said.
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