Truckers end strike

The two-day pan India token strike by truckers concluded on Tuesday with transporters' body All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) threatening more action after Deepavali if the issues raised by it are not resolved.

The AIMTC claimed that the transport sector suffered a total loss of Rs 4,000 crore due to the strike.

The finance ministry officials on Tuesday held talks with the AIMTC regarding GST which were "positive", Bal Malkit Singh, chairman of the core committee of AIMTC, told reporters here.

The ministry has promised to look into GST issues after holding consultations with the law ministry. If there are no concrete results, an indefinite "chakka jam" (strike) will follow after Deepavali, he said.

Truck operators across the country were on a two-day token strike in protest against a number of issues including high diesel prices, harassment by authorities on roads and also demanding to bring diesel under the ambit of GST, and streamline toll policies.

"Our two-day chakka jam (strike) on October 9 and 10 remained successful with supplies remaining hit across the country barring essential goods," said Singh.

A delegation of truckers will also meet the ministries of petroleum as well as the road transport and highways to discuss issues related to diesel/petrol, tolls and check posts.

'Flop show'

The Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training (IFTRT), on the other hand, termed the transporters' strike a flop show. IFTRT coordinator S P Singh said industrial belts across the country were largely unaffected by the strike.