Transport vehicles to go on indefinite strike from tomorrow

Over 15 lakh transport vehicles in Telangana including Greater Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu and Kerala are set to go off the roads indefinitely from 6 am on March 30, thus bringing to a halt transportation of commodities like rice, wheat, sugar, pulses, steel, sand, cement and all items except essential commodities. The South India Motor Transport Association (SIMTA) has decided to exempt essential commodities such as water, milk, , petrol from the strike.

However, a decision on stopping the transportation of essential



commodities in a phased manner would be taken depending upon government response to the strike. "If our president and office-bearers are arrested during the strike, we may first stop transportation of LPG gas followed by other essential commodities," SIMTA secretary G Durga Prasad told.

"Lorry owners association leaders have alleged that `3,200 was collected towards toll tax to and fro from a single lorry on Godavarikhani-Hyderabad route (state highway) on which three toll plazas are located," TS joint transport commissioner C Ramesh said.