The eight-day-old strike by transporters .......

The eight-day-old strike by transporters has been called off after negotiations between the Government and the representatives of the All India Motors Transport Congress (AIMTC). "The government has assured they will look into things and they will release our people. We are partly happy," said Gurvinder Pal Singh, acting president, AIMTC.

Industry on Monday expressed relief over truckers ending their eight-day strike, which impeded work in key areas at a time when businesses were reeling under the global meltdown.

CII expressed the hope that the transporters would get their demands resolved without disrupting the economy in future. Besides, FICCI said that the strike had created an uncertainty at a time when the economy was going through a critical phase.

Transporters strike is still on - AIMTC

The truckers' strike entered the seventh day on Sunday was breaking up in some parts of the country, the Centre has given indications that it would take a tough line to force the agitators to end the stir, like it did with officers of oil PSUs. Sources said more arrests of leaders spearheading the strike were likely on Monday.

Most of around 4.5 lakh goods vehicles in Maharashtra will be back on the roads from midnight, with transporters in the state today calling off their week-long strike after the state government assured to take "positive action" on their demands, including reduction of sales tax on diesel.

However, other associations which are not affiliated to the Mahasangh, which represents 230 transporters associations in the state, would continue to remain on strike, called by the All India Motor Transport Congress. Private bus owners had also pledged their support to the strike. However, carriers of essential commodities carried on work as usual, resulting in the APMC wholesale market at Vashi in Navi Mumbai continuing to function almost normally.

"The strike is on, the solution lies completely in the hands of the government," All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) Vice-President Amolak Singh Bhatia said on Monday. Seeking Prime Minister's intervention to end the deadlock, AIMTC said truckers are ready to hold talks with the government provided they invite them in a "constitutional manner" and released their arrested leaders, including President Charan Singh Lohara.

The Centre has called a meeting of state transport ministers on Monday to deal with the situation arising out of the truckers' strike, hitting supplies of essential commodities in some regions.

Transporters strike enters sixth day

The stalemate between the government and truckers continued for the sixth day on Saturday despite the arrest of two top leaders of All India Motor Transport Congress. “There shall be no talks untill the arrested leaders are unconditionally released without any cases against them," AIMTC had said on Friday.

Its impact is now being felt across India with prices of vegetables and other commodities slowly shooting up.

The industrial belt of Coimbatore is one of the cities that has been hit hard. On the other side of this industrial city, at a small-scale industry in SIDCO, finished goods have stagnated. The small enterprises here have already been crippled by the economic slowdown and the dwindling power situation has made situation bad from worse.

The government had already announced its plans to press 15-20 lakh vehicles and impounding of trucks to ensure supply of essential commodities, especially food stock.

Transport strike continues

The strike called by All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) is expected to continue for some more time as the government and transport operators are unwilling to budge from their respective positions. Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan have already invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), and others are expected to follow suit. Since January 5 when the strike began, prices have nearly doubled.

Meanwhile, the Centre has also advised states to act tough on truckers and invoke Essential Commodities Act and National Security Act and impound trucks, if needed.

Strike by All India Motor Transport Congress

All India Motor Transport Congress , national level association of Transporters has announced national wide strike from mid night from Sunday after its talks failed on lowering diesel prices by Rs 10 per litre.

This is third time when talks failed between government and transporters resulting into disruption in the Supplies of essential commodities in the coming days with transporters going on indefinite strike from midnight today.

The AIMTC has been demanding a reduction in diesel prices by Rs.10 a litre and tyre prices by 35 per cent, withdrawal of service tax on truckers, moratorium on all instalments and deferring interest on loans for six months. It also wants free movement of trucks across the country.

The transporters’ lobby charged the government with favouring the aviation sector, by providing it fuel at a heavily subsidised Rs. 29 a litre on credit for 90 days. On the other hand, prices of petroleum products had fallen from $147 to $38 in the international market and the reduction in diesel price was a mere Rs. 2 a litre.