Vehicles bandh in Kerala from midnight

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 24 (UNI) Vehicles will keep off the roads in Kerala from midnight today, in protest against the steep hike in insurance premium.

The Joint Action Council has called for the 24 hour strike in protest against the steep hike in third party insurance premium in the motor transport segment by insurance companies.

Council leaders said this unprecedented increase in the premium would adversely affect the motor transport segment, which in turn would put a huge burden on the general public.

They demanded that both the State as well as Central Governments should come forward to reduce the steep hike in the insurance premium.

Under the revised premium, two-wheeler owners who had to pay Rs 135 a year as premium would now have to pay more than twice that amount. Car owners who now paid Rs 500 to Rs 700 (for different categories of cars) would henceforth have to pay Rs 670 to Rs 2,500.

Meanwhile, the All India Motor Transport Congress and some other owners' and organisations had withdrawn from the strike saying that the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) had reduced the increase.

UNI