Buxar: On the call of Bihar Drivers’ Federation, truck drivers of the district staged a day-long protest on Monday near Buxar Kawaldah Pond on Station Road to press for their various demands. The protest was led by the federation’s district president, Manoj Kumar Pal.During the protest, the drivers raised slogans and urged the govt to address their long-pending issues. Addressing the gathering, Pal said even after 78 years of Independence, drivers in the country are still forced to live a life of hardship. He pointed out that there are no proper parking spaces, accommodation or toilet facilities for drivers on national highways.Pal also said many drivers between the ages of 50 and 55 years suffer from vision problems due to the glare of high-beam headlights from approaching vehicles, which affects their ability to continue working. He demanded that the govt introduce a pension scheme for drivers.After the protest, a delegation of drivers submitted a 15-point memorandum to the DM outlining their demands.Their key demands include declaring the death of a driver in a road accident as a disaster, setting up a drivers’ commission, and creating a drivers’ welfare fund. The federation also demanded compensation of Rs20 lakh in case of accidental death and Rs10 lakh in case of disability.Other demands include implementation of a pension scheme after the age of 60 years, a housing scheme of Rs5 lakh for drivers, special reservation for their children in higher education, and the construction of rest rooms, toilets and parking facilities for drivers along national highways.The memorandum also sought installation of front and rear recording cameras in vehicles, ensuring the safety of Bihar’s drivers working in other states, and granting drivers the status of Class-II soldiers. It further demanded that Sept 1 be declared Drivers’ Day and that stricter laws be enacted for drivers’ safety.The federation also demanded that vehicle owners be required to provide insurance cover of Rs20 lakh for drivers and that one ICU bed be reserved for drivers in all govt hospitals. In addition, drivers should be issued health cards along with their driving licences for regular health check-ups, similar to the Ayushman Bharat.Among those present at the protest were district secretary Vinod Chaudhary and district treasurer Mallu Chaudhary, along with several other drivers.
