VIJAYAWADA: Expounding further on the escalating crisis at the Assam-West Bengal border, the AP Lorry Owners’ Association (APLOA) has emphasised that the arbitrary detention of tax-compliant goods threatens the very framework of seamless interstate commerce.
APLOA General Secretary YV Eswara Rao said the stranded consignments complied with statutory requirements, citing a truck carrying 35.07 metric tonnes of Raw Petroleum Coke to Rain CII Carbon (Vizag) Limited. Its invoice dated September 19, 2026, records `3.11 lakh in IGST paid on a taxable value of `17.28 lakh, supported by a valid e-way bill.
The truck is among around 300 vehicles dispatched from Indian Oil Corporation refineries in Assam and stranded in West Bengal. About half were bound for Vizag, while others were headed to industrial hubs in West Bengal, Bihar and Odisha. The blockade has caused daily detention penalties and mounting interest, pushing collective demurrage losses to around `1 crore.
Drivers stranded for weeks face shortages of drinking water, food and sanitation, while industries risk production slowdowns due to delayed material supplies.
In a representation to the Union Finance Ministry and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), APLOA sought immediate verification of 16 trucks bound for AP and the release of vehicles detained without formal written statutory grounds.
