Closed dhabas add to truckers’ woes
Keonjhar: Almost all dhabas and garages located by the side of state and national highways in Keonjhar district are shut, causing untold misery to drivers of goods vehicles who depend on these eateries and shops.
Earlier, the state government had issued a notification over the opening of dhabas and garages at a minimum distance of 20km from each other on the highways to provide services to truck drivers, who are basically driving vehicles carrying essential items but also things like minerals from the ores in the district.
“We are facing a shortage of food en route because of the closure of the dhabas. We will have to cook food at the side of the road to fill our belly. In case our vehicles develop a snag, we have to repair it ourselves. This wastes our time, ” said Amarendra Singh, a trucker.
Sources said thousands of trucks carrying essential commodities, medicines, minerals and PDS items ply the NH49 connecting Mumbai and Kolkata, NH20 connecting Panikoili and Rimuli and NH720 connecting Rimuli with Rajamundam, beside the state highways going through the district, every day. On a normal day, hundreds of dhabas, small hotels and garages liven up these highways.
“The government should open at least 2-3 dhabas and garages to help us, ” said Singh.
The dhaba owners, however, cited shortage of staff and lack of protection for the closure. “There are not enough customers either. Sometimes, the inhabitants of the nearby villages force us to close because they fear the spread of coronavirus, ” a dhaba owner said.
Keonjhar DSP Harish Pandey said all dhabas and garages had been asked to remain open. “We don’t know why they are still shut. You will try to reopen them, ” he said.
In Sambalpur district, 12 dhabas along the national highway are open.
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