NE BUSINESS BUREAU
CHENNAI, APRIL 17
Heavy vehicle major Ashok Leyland on Friday announced that it has scaled up roadside assistance programme to the truck drivers who were stranded with essentials across the country following the lockdown extension.
A release from the company said that “While many will survive this pandemic, the situation for many is dire and it is our collective duty to do whatever possible to extend a helping hand. Especially for those who are either still working for the larger good or are stuck, somewhere far from home, as hundreds of our truck drivers. Ashok Leyland recognizes this need and has put its existing capabilities to full use to reach out to these heroes, who are doing this for all of us confining within four walls’’.
Breakdown assistance through ServiceMandi App
To help keep the wheels moving, ensuring the supply of essential items, Ashok Leyland is putting its digital roadside assistance tool, ServiceMandi, to full use. It is providing breakdown assistance to the trucks transporting essentials, making sure no truck is stranded owing to breakdown.
Breakdown assistance for more than 120 vehicles carrying essential items were attended by ServiceMandi workshops. This includes all brands of commercial vehicles. Despite restrictions, permissions were obtained from the local authorities concerned to reach the spot and repair the vehicles.
For breakdown assistance, call the helpline number 1800-208-8800, says the company.
AL-HPLCL tie-up for roadside assistance through en-Dhan card
Amplifying the utility of en-Dhan card, Ashok Leyland is providing roadside assistance through a task force of its field executives. They are contacting the stranded drivers across the country through WhatsApp and phone to assist for: Basic grocery kit consisting of rice / Atta, dal, and other necessities to cook food, mask, hand sanitizers, and soap.
The company is assisting to get safe parking space for trucks and shipment by offering access to HPCL bunks. Availability of cash – money is getting transferred quickly to the local HPCL bunk owner’s account, who in turn withdraws the same and hands it over to the drivers.
‘Here to Care’- roadside assistance helpline number 1800-266-3340
Over 2,000 drivers across the country have been supported through these initiatives, a release from the company said.
Commenting on this, Vipin Sondhi, MD & CEO, Ashok Leyland said “It would be crucial to kick-start economic activity after this period of disruption. MSME’s are the backbone of Indian industry and form the key element of product supply chain – be it agri-processing, textiles, or auto-ancillaries. They will need support from the Government, and some measures to be considered would be – easy access to working capital and liquidity, through banks and NBFC’s, providing Interest free and collateral free loans; introduction of an incentive for MSME’s to help them pay salaries and wages to their employees in these times; extension of the NPA recognition period from 90 days to 360 days; ensuring that all pending payments to industry/MSME’s are cleared immediately by the government departments and PSUs, and lastly, MSMEs can be incentivised to produce medical supplies, with a buy back arrangement from the Government,” the release adds.
