Ladakh transport delegation raises fitness, operational issues with MoRTH officials

LEH: A high-level delegation representing various Transport Co-operative Societies of Ladakh met senior officials of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Government of India, in New Delhi to raise a range of long-pending issues concerning the fitness of transport vehicles and the operational challenges faced by the region’s transport community.

The delegation, led by Dorjey Angchuk, Chairman, ALTCF Leh, submitted a detailed memorandum highlighting fitness-related concerns affecting transport vehicles and transport cooperative societies across Ladakh. The delegation stressed that the issues have a direct bearing on the livelihood of thousands of transporters and their families.

During the meeting, the delegation held detailed discussions with Secretary, MoRTH, V. Umashankar, along with Additional Secretary Mahmood Ahmed and the concerned Director. The Ministry officials gave the delegation a patient hearing and took note of the issues raised in the memorandum.

The delegation urged the Ministry to take into account Ladakh’s unique geographical, climatic and operational conditions, particularly the challenges associated with operating transport vehicles in the high-altitude and geographically difficult terrain of the Union Territory. The Ministry officials assured the delegation that the concerns raised would be examined at the appropriate level and that necessary action would be taken at the earliest possible.

The delegation comprised Nawang Samstan, President, Truck Union; Tsering Dorjey, Vice-President, Bus Union; Tundup Tsewang, President, Mini Truck Union; Rinchen Tundup, President, Tempo Traveller Union; Thinles Namgyal, President, Taxi Union; and Phuntsog Norboo, President, 207 Carrier Union.

The appointment with the Ministry was facilitated with the support and efforts of former CEC, LAHDC Leh, Adv. Tashi Gyalson, whose intervention helped the delegation secure an opportunity to present the long-pending concerns of Ladakh’s transport sector before the concerned authorities.

Expressing gratitude to Dorjey Angchuk for leading the collective effort and to Tashi Gyalson for facilitating the meeting, the Ladakh Transport Co-operative Societies reiterated their commitment to pursuing the matter through appropriate channels until a practical, fair and sustainable resolution is reached for the transport community of Ladakh.