Jharsuguda, Odisha : The Samalei Truck Owners Association in Bandhbahal, Jharsuguda, has ignited a wave of unrest among truckers following a Rs 12 per tonne reduction in coal transport freight, effective September 9, in Mahanadi Coalfields Limited’s (MCL) Lakhanpur zone. While association president Akhil Swain and general secretary Santosh Mohanty defend the decision as a corrective measure for hidden costs, many truckers are accusing the leadership of corruption, mismanagement, and unilateral decision-making.
Swain and Mohanty maintain that the freight reduction compensates for hidden costs truckers had been bearing due to alleged corrupt practices. In contrast, former president Prasanna Singh and other dissenting truckers have condemned the cut as arbitrary, accusing the leadership of sidelining the general body before implementing the decision. They caution that if the reduction is not promptly reversed, mounting frustration could trigger widespread protests across the Lakhanpur region.
This controversy follows a June 19 police crackdown, which led to the arrest of five people, including a transporter, for allegedly extorting Rs 145 per truck at Lakhanpur’s opencast mines. Truckers pointed out that while 850 trucks are available in the area, only 450–500 are deployed daily, each carrying roughly 18 tonnes of coal. They argue the freight reduction results in a loss of approximately Rs 300 per truckload, far exceeding the earlier Rs 145 extortion.
Adding to the unrest, truckers pointed out that industry giants such as Vedanta, JSW, and Hindalco have maintained their freight rates, raising questions about why the association unilaterally imposed a cut. They further claimed that the transporter’s Payloader, tasked with handling 20,000 tonnes daily, is managing only 10,000–12,000 tonnes, leaving numerous trucks idle. Truckers have urged MCL to redistribute the remaining 8,000 tonnes among other contractors to curb losses and optimize operations.
Lakhanpur Area General Manager A.K. Pandey reaffirmed MCL’s commitment to transparency and cautioned that any irregularities would be met with stringent action. He further revealed that plans are in motion to deploy multi-axle vehicles to ensure safer and more efficient coal transportation. Meanwhile, truckers are pressing for an immediate rollback of the freight reduction, threatening escalated protests if their concerns continue to be overlooked.
