A day after a report carried in mid-day stated how the state’s fresh guidelines may bring essential services supply chain to a standstill, as it mandates all cargo lorry drivers to carry latest Covid-19 reports, the Maharashtra government has issued a new directive. According to the new guidelines, issued on Saturday, lorry drivers will be exempted from this.

Transporters have thanked mid-day for highlighting the issue in a report titled, ‘Guidelines for lorries will halt the supply of essentials’. Bal Malkit Singh, chairman, core committee and former president, All-India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), said, “With persistent follow-ups, we have been successful in getting revised guidelines regarding mandatory requirement of negative RT-PCR test for drivers in Maharashtra. Earlier in the day, we got instructions from the Chief Secretary’s Office issued to field officials, asking them to release all vehicles immediately. This was done promptly.”