Calcutta's old jalopy ban

The West Bengal government has now launched plans to cut Calcutta[‘s pollution by banning vehicles older than 15 years to operate, much to the indignation of the cities many commercial drivers.

It is for this reason that some of Calcutta’s 60,000 taxi and 10,000 bus drivers have gone on strike in protest of the ban on Friday 24, July. The strike has had a catastrophic effect on the cities transport links as major queues have developed at the cites remaining in-use metro stations.

Both schools and universities have shut due to the disruption and other professions have suffered losses as workers have been unable to move around the city.

Calcutta, India’s third most populated city has suffered a dramatic rise in the number of lung related diseases with 70 percent of the 18 million population experiencing breathing difficulties. It is for these reasons that the government has felt that dramatic action needed to be taken.

However, although the West Bengal initiative is designed for a good cause and too ultimately save the health of its population, at the same time the ban will see many cars wiped off the road. Many of these old dilapidated vehicles provide the sole means of income for many families in the city.

For a country where commercial vehicle insurance is nothing but a dream and money loans only materialise from loan sharks, many vehicle owners will struggle to replace cars or convert them to green fuel. They argue that they would be happy to follow the new ruling if the state provide the means necessary for soft repayment loans to replace cars.

The government on the other hand argues that drivers have been far too stubborn and that this newest action will cause a strict response, as owners have had plenty of notice of the new changes.

Insure My Vehicle provides commercial car insurance for owners across the United Kingdom offering comparative services that can combine specialist discounts with generous standard cover.

July 27^th 2009

• Ford unveil electro-car
• Electric cars launched in London
• Cash-strapped motorists cut insurance cover
• New hydrogen-powered car launched
• Commercial vehicle safety starts today
• Commercial Vehicle Show set to benefit insurance customers
• Vehicle crime reduced with the use of buses
• New Trakas key set to help Guilford Borough Council
• LDV forced into administration
• Call for EU help continues