Truckers call off strike as Centre promises to consider demands

New Delhi, July 27: Truckers called off week-long strike on Friday as the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has assured to set up a committee to look into their grievances.

The All India Motor Transport Congress had called the strike to press Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to reduce taxes on fuel, roll back higher insurance premiums and cut highway tolls.

The truck drivers' union said it had the support of hundreds of thousands of members in the campaign which has seen vehicles stranded at borders and fears that food prices could rise because of shortages.

Announcing the withdrawal of the strike, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said the government had agreed to consider their demands. "The government is sensitive to the demands of the transporters. We have accepted many of their demands. We have formed a high-level committee to consider the last remaining one," he tweeted in Hindi on Friday evening.

The lorry strike that entered the eighth day on Friday has hit the textile industry and also supply of vegetables in various city.

Truck operators' demands included the closure of toll plazas across the country, reduction in fuel prices and uniform national pricing with quarterly revision, among other things.