Minister urges truckers to end strike

Chennai, Jan7: The Minister of Surface Transport and Shipping T R Baalu has urged truckers to call off their strike. The nationwide trucker's strike entered third day. Addressing the media persons in Chennai, Minister Baalu asked them to end strike and go for a settlement.

The All India Motor Transport Congress represents 60 lakh truck owners. It can be recalled here that operators had called for an indefinite strike since Monday, Jan 5, seeking lower diesel prices and withdrawal of service tax on truckers.

More than 70 per cent of freight in India moves by road, but the country's transport companies have been hit by a slowing economy, higher interest rates on vehicle loans and greater competition from the railways.

OneIndia News (With inputs from Agencies)