The Bengal government has asked all district administrations to ensure that a hotel and a garage are kept open in a span of 20km along state and national highways during the lockdown so that drivers and helpers of cargo vehicles face no problems for food and repairs.

The district authorities were also directed to ensure that at least one petrol pump was kept open every 20km and there were arrangements to tow vehicles in each police station area.

Police have already identified roadside hotels and garages that could be kept open in south Bengal. The lists of the hotels and the garages were sent to transport agents and truck owners’ unions. Officials said there were reports of truck drivers and owners refusing to carry essential commodities from one place to another citing lack of food and garages along the route.

“The decision has been taken to keep the supply line of essential commodities intact across Bengal. All such roadside hotels had to close down because of the lockdown. This had angered truck drivers. Now, they will have no complaint over food and workshops while on the road,” said a senior official.

There are 15 state highways in Bengal and 16 national highways criss-cross the state. The total length of the state highways is around 4,045km. The length of the national highways in the state is around 2,400km.

“Taking into note the length of highways in the state, around 320 roadside hotels or dhabas, along with garages, will remain open during the lockdown. We think it will be enough for drivers for emergency services,” the official said.

In the Birbhum district, around 20 hotels and 18 garages were opened along state and national highways following the government’s directive. Four state highways pass through the district and NH60 connects Birbhum to north Bengal and other places.

“The hotels are kept open for drivers and helpers of vehicles carrying essential commodities and those who are travelling for emergency,” Birbhum district police chief Shyam Singh said.

“There is an arrangement for tow-away vans also. The drivers can contact local police station to get those vans.”

In East Burdwan, around 26 such hotels and garages will remain open along various highways, including NH2 that connects Calcutta and Durgapur.

“The identified roadside hotels and garages will become operational very soon,” said Bhaskar Mukherjee, the East Burdwan police chief.

Several truck drivers, who were stuck on NH30 at various locations in Burdwan, started complaining that they were not getting proper food during their stay.

In the Purulia district, 25 hotels and repairing centres have already been opened. Police said hundreds of vehicles carrying essential commodities ply between Bengal and Jharkhand’s Ranchi through Purulia.

“We have already opened all such facilities on the road,” S. Selvamurugan, the Purulia police chief, said.