Supply of essential commodities, industrial and consumers goods to Mumbai and rest of Maharashtra are expected to hit as the nationwide indefinite strike called by the All India Transport Congress (AITC) began since 6 am on Friday.
Nearly 16 commercial vehicles from Maharashtra are off the road of which daily movement of 60,000 vehicles in and outside Mumbai is reportedly impacted. Already, private school bus contractors, a section of water tanker suppliers and private tourist buses have also joined the strike.
Mumbaikars, who received a major respite after milk farmers ended their protest late on Thursday, will have to be equipped to deal with the situation arising out of an indefinite strike by transport unions.
Transport unions across the country have resorted to indefinite strike over a slew of demands, including slashing diesel prices and highway tolls. The nationwide daily loss due to truckers strike is estimated at Rs 4,000 crore.
AITC core committee chairman Bal Malkit Singh told DNA,'' Strike is total. Nearly 93 lakh commercial vehicles across the country of which 16 lakh from Maharashtra and 60,000 vehicles entering and exiting Mumbai are participating in the strike. As a precautionary step, some vehicle operators have parked vehicles at the parking lot or at the roadside or near dhaba or at the petrol pumps while those in transit have stopped their movement.'' He informed that
AITC's meetings held yesterday with the union minister of road and highways Nitin Gadkari and also with the union railways minister Piyush Gadkari remained inclusive as no concrete assurance was given but for the formation of a high-level committee to discuss various issues raised by the unions.
Singh said key demands include a reduction in Central and state taxes by getting diesel under the GST so that price of the deregulated commodity can be reduced.
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 "(Transporters Strike)")
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