Lorry owners to intensify stir from Jan 11

Members of various lorry owners’ associations, who held an emergency meeting in Bangalore on Friday, decided to call for a total strike from January 11 midnight, if the government did not meet their demands.

Briefing reporters, Karnataka State Lorry Owners’ and Agents’ Association president G R Shanmugappa said the strike will intensify in the coming days. “If the government does not hold talks with us and meet our demands, the movement of all lorries, tourist vehicles, maxi cabs, petrol, diesel and LPG supply vehicles, cargo vehicles, tourist buses, cabs and all transport vehicles will completely stop.”

He said the associations from neighbouring states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala will also join the protest. Vehicles coming from other states will also be banned from entering Karnataka. In total, over six lakh vehicles will go off the roads from January 11. While emergency, medical and vegetable vehicles will be allowed to ply, many drivers and their associations are showing interest to voluntarily join the protest. Members of various associations have been protesting for the last 14 days.

According to them, around Rs 500 crore worth of construction activity is getting affected in Bangalore. Since construction activities have almost come to a halt, because of 30,000 lorries not plying, around two lakh cargo labourers and four lakh building construction labourers have been hit hard.

The strike is being supported by members of All India Taxi, Maxicabs and Bus Owners’ Association; Karnataka Tourist Motorcab, Maxicab Owners Welfare Association; Tamil Nadu Lorry Owners’ Association; Andhra Pradesh Lorry Owners Association and Karnataka Rig Owners’ Association.