Business | Updated Aug 28, 2008 at 12:53pm IST

Thousands of trucks stranded at Singur

Sukarno Sen, CNN.com

Singur: The indefinite dharna of the TrinaMool Congress (TMC) workers led by their chief Mamata Banerjee in front of the Tata Motors Plant has almost cut off the Delhi-Kolkata road route.

The row now holds thousands of livelihoods hostage with Mamata Banerjee leading the Singur farmers in the agitation against the government of West Bengal and the Tata Motors Company.

Thousands of trucks remain stranded for four days in a row now. No trucks can enter the city of joy.

Suta Sheikh has driven a truck carrying tea from Guwahati but his vehicle hasn’t moved an inch in the last four days. Sheikh’s prime worry at the moment is the penalty he will have to pay for not delivering the goods on time.

“I am completely confused and worried. I cannot afford a penalty. Apart from that, I have no money left for a prolonged stay here on the highway. I cannot leave the truck and move to even go fetch something if I am hungry or thirsty,” said Sheikh.

Trucks stand stacked on the blocked highway. Over 40,000 trucks are stranded at Shaktigarh, a place that is 45 kms from Singur.

Mamata Banerjee continues her dharna outside the Tata Nano car project, the alternative GT Road too is jammed and the truckers’ patience is wearing thin.

“I don't know what to do my export consignment. The order must have been cancelled by now,” said a worried Amir Ansari, driver of another truck.

And it is not just on the highways, there is panic in the local markets in Kolkata too as the supply of goods from North India has stopped completely.

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