In order to facilitate food and beverages through dhabas, and other requirements like mechanics for truck operators at certain intervals on highways and roads during the extended lockdown period, the Centre has roped in various organisations like road making agency NHAI, State Government establishments and the oil marketing companies.
Beginning Monday, the Home Ministry has granted several relaxations like truck and cargo operations across the country even as the country remains under complete lockdown till May 3.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has created a dashboard link on its website for providing list and details of Dhabas and Truck repair shops available across the country by various organisations certain nominated agencies.
"The list can be accessed through the Road Ministry website. This is intended to facilitate the truck and cargo drivers and cleaners in thier movement while traveling between different places of the country for delivering required goods in the present challenging times of lockdown announced to curb Covid-19 pandemic," a MoRTH official said when asked about how will the essential need of truck operators be met in the complete lockdown period.
NHAI official said a centralised call number 1033 has also been enabled to answer calls and help drivers/cleaners to find information about the dhabaas and repair shops along National Highways.
"These dhabas and repair shops, drivers, cleaners or any other person in the chain of movement of goods, shall follow all the necessary precautions and healthcare protocols of social distancing, use of masks, hygiene, etc," said the official.
A regular contact is being maintained with various stake holders particularly States/UTs, Oil Marketing Companies(OMCs), etc in providing information which is then updated on the dashboard link on MoRTH website.
Last week, the MoRTH came forward to take care of the journey requirements in terms of shelter and food of the migrants who took to roads after the unfortunate Mumbai railway station chaos early this week where they had gathered to board a train which however was a rumour. The large gathering was dispersed by police lathicharge and then people from Mumbai took to road and highways on their way to far flung areas of Rajay, Bihar, UP, West Bengal and NE States.
MoRTH has taken up the social responsibility of helping people on the roads during the nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19. Soon after the announcement by the Prime Minister, the field units of the Ministry across the length and breadth of the country were urged to extend necessary help to their workers/ labours and the common people.
All the field units and offices of the Ministry, as well as the associated organisations NHAI and NHIDCL are coordinating to help mitigate the difficulties of the people on road network.
"Food, water, hand wash facilities are being provided to road and highway users on regular basis while taking care of social distancing and sanitation," added the official.
The Home Ministry has also granted permission to NHAI to resume toll collection Monday onwards. The Government had on March 25 announced temporarily suspending toll collection on national highways to ease emergency services in view of the coronavirus outbreak.
The Government had on March 25 announced temporarily suspending toll collection on national highways to ease emergency services in view of the coronavirus outbreak.