Lucknow: More than 250,000 trucks and over 3,000 buses were remained off the road, according to the media reports, leaving a multitude of people stranded in various cities. The strike, which also saw participation from auto-rickshaws and taxi drivers, had repercussions on the supply of essential goods in numerous urban areas, reported Hindustan Times.
The Transport Association and drivers are staging a protest against the new law on hit-and-run cases. The new law attracts a 7-10-year prison sentence for drivers falling foul of it.
The operations of the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) and private buses were severely impacted due to a significant number of drivers participating in the strike. Ajeet Singh, an official from UPSRTC, stated that nearly 3,000 buses, constituting nearly half of the daily operational fleet, were inactive in the state.
While the primary agitation has been instigated by public truck drivers, various other segments within the transport sector have also joined the protests, including some of our employees, Singh noted. “Several of our buses have been halted at toll plazas where truck drivers are protesting and obstructing the toll booths,” he added.
Reports have emerged of altercations occurring at toll plazas on Kanpur Road amidst the ongoing strikes.
TPS Aneja, the president of the Transport Nagar Vyapar Mandal in Lucknow, lamented, “More than 15,000 trucks, transporting essential goods and supplies, pass through Lucknow daily. They are not operating today. Additionally, the buses of UPSRTC and taxis have gone on strike against the new provision in the Motor Vehicles Act.”
