Bengaluru: The ongoing indefinite strike by truck owners is expected to hit normal life hard on Monday if petroleum suppliers, taxi operators also join them. However, difference have arisen between the two faction of the truck unions.
The supply of vegetables, various goods items including construction materials such as cement and sand have totally stopped. City market, APMCs and construction sites wore a deserted look on Saturday.
In K.R. Market, the business has drastically come down as only small vehicles are supplying goods and vegetables. “We are using small goods vehicles to transport perishable products like vegetables. But the volume of business has come down by 80 per cent,” said Babu Peer, a vegetable vendor.
“In addition, thousands of daily wage earners have become jobless. The Government should intervene immediately,” he added.
Real estate and manufacturing sectors are also facing the heat. “If the strike continues, we will be left with no option other than releasing all our workers,” said Kumar Pai, a building contractor. Sources said with Sunday being a holiday, no talks will be held. This means strike is expected to enter next week too.
LPG, fuel supply may be hit
The situation could worsen on Monday if petroleum and LPG suppliers, tourist taxi providers also decide to keep off the road.
“A decision in this regard will be taken either on Sunday or Monday. If central government does not listens to our demand, we will intensify our strike by asking the petroleum, LPG suppliers and tourist vehicle operators from going off the road for indefinite period,” said a member of the association on condition of anonymity.
Friction among unions
Difference of opinion have widened between two factions of the association on Saturday, with one group alleging the other of trying to sabotage the strike.
