CHENNAI: Considerable number of commercial vehicles in Tamil Nadu, including private buses and taxis, will stay off road on Tuesday as a part of the one-day
strike organised by the All India Motor Transport Organisation.
The strike has been called on demanding withdrawal of the proposed Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill. The day will see participation of nearly 1.5 laks auto-rickshaws, including those which transport school students.
However, this has deterred the private schools from continuing with the academic sessions as scheduled earlier. This indicated that students should mostly have to use other modes of transport, mostly government buses, to travel to school and back on Tuesday.
Most transport workers' unions, except those affiliated to the ruling AIADMK party, have announced their members will stay off from work in order to extend solidarity for the protest against the central government.
“We are taking all possible efforts to ensure that available buses are operated on Tuesday. We have instructed all the depot managers not to grant leaves to drivers and conductors for the day,’ said a senior official from the state transport department.
Some private omni buses from Koyambedu were not operated bus terminal on Monday night in order to avoid complications. Passengers, who were bound to
Madurai, Coimbatore and other districts were left in the lurch and paid 30-40 % more than the usual fares as demand shot up late in the evening.
Besides commuters, movement of goods along Tamil Nadu-Kerala and Karnataka borders are also expected to take a hit as thousands of trucks have already stopped operations.
Along with them, automobile showrooms and driving schools will also be a part of the strike against the Centre's alleged plan to monopolise the motor vehicle industry.
Various unions have announced that they will be conducting a dharna in front of the Head Post Office in Anna Salai on Tuesday morning.
