Bengaluru taxis to join truckers' strike from Monday

Bengaluru, March 31 : Fuel tankers, maxicabs and tourist taxis were all set to go off roads here from Monday, joining the truckers' strike which continued in southern states for the second day on Friday.

"Maxicabs and tourist taxis were off road for a day in places like Mysuru, Udupi and Mangaluru. Our members will participate in the agitation in Bengaluru from Monday," said Radhakrishna Holla, President of the Bengaluru Tourist Taxi Owners' Association.

There will be no new customer bookings for taxis and maxicabs from Monday onwards till the agitation is called off. "We will honour the bookings already made. There will be no obstruction to the maxicabs and taxis operating under corporate services category," Holla said.

If the owners of fuel tankers, tourist taxis and maxicabs take part in the agitation from Monday, the supply of essential commodities like food grain, vegetables, LPG, petrol is likely to be affected. 

"We have taken measures to ensure stock of fuel for two to three days," said Lokesh Reddy, Secretary of Bengaluru Petroleum Dealers' Association.

The truckers in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana went off the road on Thursday, seeking withdrawal of the central government order on increased third-party insurance, and hiked challan fees and penal amounts.

Transporters are opposing the steep increase of 50 per cent in third-party premium for commercial vehicles.

The truckers in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry also joined the strike from Thursday midnight.