The Punjab Cabinet has approved the Punjab Goods Carriages (Regulation and Prevention of Cartelisation Rules), 2017 that completely bars goods carriage operators from forming cartels or unions in the State.
The proposed new rules will be placed in the public domain for 30 days for any comments or objections.
The move was aimed at fighting the mafia of good transporters who had cartelised the business over the past several years, obstructing the free and fair movement of goods transport, thereby also impacting industrial development of the State.
It was also decided that the government should fix the minimum and maximum fares and freight for goods carriers.
This will be done from time to time in respect of different kinds of goods carriers on a per kilo-meter basis for wet and dry loads and for the transportation of livestock, keeping in view the different terrains to be traversed, the cost of fuel and maintenance, salaries and expenditure, and all other relevant factors pertaining to the different kinds of goods carriages.