BENGALURU: The ongoing nationwide truckers’ strike entered its seventh day on Thursday, with transporters unwilling to back down unless all their demands are met. While passenger taxi operators and private bus operators are supporting the strike, they are carrying on operations currently, something that could stop in the coming days if the agitation intensifies, members of transportation organisations said.
With two rounds of talks held so far with the Union Government which is not leading to any resolution, it is possible that bus operators could also halt operations leading to disruptions in travel plans for lakhs of passengers. “Already, some operators in North India have stopped services. But they are currently operational in South India but could stop if there is a need to intensify the strike,” explained K Radhakrishna Holla, President of the Bangalore Tourist Taxi Operators Association. South India has a strong network of private bus operators who could cripple travel across states if they join the strike.
The strike has also led to an almost complete halt on the supply of vegetables to the city’s Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) yard as well as to the markets of other cities in the state. While vegetable prices continued to remain stable on Thursday, this might not be the case if the standoff continues.
“The strike has seen success in border areas of Karnataka,” Holla said.
According to sources, the price of tomatoes, which are exported from the state, have seen a drop in prices. However, the prices of potatoes has marginally increased. Lemons, which are brought to the city from Bijapur, have also gone up in price. “This is just the start as the strike is affecting prices just now. In the coming days, prices will shoot up more,” a wholesale procurer for a supermarket chain said.
Started on July 20, the strike is because truckers are asking for an immediate reduction in the prices of diesel as well as a system in which prices would be revised every quarter instead of daily. Other demands include abolition of the toll barrier system with an indirect taxation system to replace toll fees.