COVID 2019: Govt begins hunt for missing truck drivers to restore supply chain

Senior journalist Sanjib Kr Baruah explains how the lockdown has affected the supply chain of food grains and essential commodities. To get the trucks moving and to stabilize the supply situation, the government is undertaking an experimental effort to try and see if it can get about 1,500 drivers back to the driving seat.

New Delhi: With the entire nation locked down for about 30 days now, the all-important supply chain of food grains and essential commodities is yet to be restored with about 2,00,000 fully loaded trucks still stranded on the highways, rural swaths, towns and cities across the country.

One main reason why the trucks remain where they are is due to the missing drivers who abandoned their trucks to leave for their native places after the sudden announcement of the lockdown from March 24 to combat the spread of novel coronavirus, resulting in a sudden and complete disruption of the supply chain.

To get the trucks moving and to stabilize the supply situation, the government is undertaking an experimental effort to try and see if it can get about 1,500 drivers back to the driving seat.

“We have shared contact details, phone numbers and other information of about 1,500 drivers with the government which wants to check out if it can somehow get the drivers back to their trucks. If successful, we will share details of more drivers with the government,” Pradeep Singhal, chairman of the All India Transporters’ Welfare Association (AITWA) told ETV Bharat.

“The government has also told us that it is talking to administrators right at the district level and would hence require the data of all drivers to try and get them back. We are ready to share whatever data we have," Singhal continued.

“The problem is large because of the lockdown which has closed down all public transport. It is difficult to get the drivers together and drive them back to the places where their trucks lie stranded because so many people are not allowed now in a single-vehicle. So how will they even venture out from their native places,” Singhal said.

When the lockdown was suddenly announced, the trucker-drivers besides fighting the scare of the spreading infection, initially faced the problem of finding food and lodging due to which many started leaving for their native places.

And with an extension in place, even the drivers who remained with their vehicles left for their native places, wanting to be with their family members.

In many cases, even if the drivers have made it to their destinations, there are no offices open to take receipt of the cargo, there is no labour forces even to do the unloading.

“Even after the lockdown opens, it will take at least two months for the supply chain to be regular and operate like it did normally. It is going to be difficult from now on,” adds Singhal ruefully.

While about 3,00,000 trucks did manage to reach their respective destinations in the last 25 days with the administration’s help, there is no doubt that the supply chain has been strongly disrupted.

With stocks of food, goods and essential commodities rapidly vanishing off the shelves, the specter of a scarcity crisis looms large. On average, whole-sellers have stocks to last for about 20 days while retailers maintain stocks for about a week at most.