3.5 lakh trucks off the roads in Telangana

Despite 80 per cent of the 3.5 lakh trucks in Telangana staying off the streets on Friday, the flow of essential commodities to the city remained unaffected.

Lorry drivers, across the state, kept away from work in lieu of the indefinite strike that began on Thursday , against excessive collection of toll tax. A majority of the 15 lakh trucks plying in the southern region, including Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Pondicherry , Tamil Nadu



and Kerala joined the strike.

“Because of Ugadi and financial year end (on March 31) some trucks were plying on Friday .But Saturday onwards, all trucks, except for those ferrying essential commodities, will be off the road and the strike will continue till we get a favourable reply from the authorities,“ said Durga Prasad, secretary , TS Lorry Owners' Association and leader of the South India Motor Transport Association (SIMTA).