Protesting the excessive hike in third-party insurance of transport vehicles, the All India Road Transport Workers Federation (AIRTWF) held a dharna in front of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) headquarters in Hyderabad on May 14.

The AIRTWF, with the support of the Lorry Owners’ Association of Tamil Nadu and Telangana and Driving Schools’ Association of Tamil Nadu, submitted a memorandum to the chairman of IRDA, demanding the withdrawal of enhanced premiums.

R Lakshmaiah, deputy general secretary of AIRTWF, alleged that the IRDA and the government are making scapegoats of the lakhs of individual vehicle owners by bringing huge profits to private insurance companies.

Durga Prasad, president of Telangana Lorry Owners’ Association, flayed the IRDA for not disclosing information about the total amount collected from transport vehicles as third party insurance and the total payments made towards claim settlements.

Sukumar, president, Lorry Owners’ Association, Tamil Nadu, said that the increase in insurance premium rates every year have been unjust and unwarranted. Muralidharan of Tamil Nadu Driving Schools Association, Kuppu Swami, AIRTWF working committee member, Tamil Nadu and MK Pradeep, working committee member, Kerala have also addressed the demonstrations.

The associations have called upon all the stakeholders to come forward to unite and fight the attacks on transport industry.

ESN Reddy, secretary, CITU, Telangana, has extended support to the associations. Srikanth, general secretary of AIRTWF, Telangana state committee, placed the vote of thanks and concluded the demonstrations.