Coronavirus lockdown: Three lakhs trucks loaded with goods and no drivers stuck across country

While there has been a constant debate over the availability of the essentials, trade bodies have pointed out that these trucks are parked unattended as their drivers and cleaners have left for their hometowns owing to the lockdown.

This might have a bearing effect on the economy as the workers who unload the trucks having goods are missing.

"Our vehicles that were on the road when the lockdown was announced have not reached their destinations because it takes three-four days to reach. Currently lakhs of trucks are on the road across the nation with goods worth crores. Our trucks are parked outside warehouses, factories and transport offices," Kultaran Singh Atwal, President, All India Motor Transport Congress, told NDTV.

The Centre earlier announced that trucks with essential items would be allowed to ply on roads but later it altered its order permitting the ones with non-essentials as well.

However, it was too late for the industry to mobilise their workers as many of them had left for their hometowns by then.

Hundreds of trucks ferrying goods like cars, two-wheelers, fridges, air conditioners, washing machines and industrial raw material are parked on the roadside in Haryana's Faridabad, said reports.

Following the lockdown announcement, the drivers had no option but to leave the trucks attended.

With several states demanding further extension of lockdown beyond April 14 owing to the continuous rise in the number of infected rates across the country, the fate of these goods remains ambiguous.

India recorded fresh 591 positive Novel Coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours taking the tally across the country to close to 6,000, informed the Union Health Ministry on Thursday.

The Ministry said 5,865 people have been infected across the country with Maharashtra suffering the most with 1,135 cases followed by the southern state of Tamil Nadu (738) and Delhi (669).