Bangalore: Goods auto drivers, taxi owners and members of the South India Motor Transportation Congress joined the protest by sand lorry owners in the city on Saturday night.
The protesters are demanding a change in sand mining policy, end to harassment by government officials and permits to legal sand transporters.
Goods transport associations from Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andra Pradesh and Maharashtra have agreed to join hands with the Akhila Karnataka Goods Auto Drivers’ Union and Bangalore Tourist Taxi Owners Association (BTTOA) in the strike.
“The government has cheated us. The public works department is neither sanctioning sand nor giving us the required permit,” said Rudraiah, Secretary, Lorry Association.
BTTOA members are protesting against the decision of the state government and transport department to make education up to eighth standard mandatory for obtaining driving licence and against advance tax collected for crossing the border. “The government has not even considered our request for a parking lot in the city. The strike will cause a loss of Rs 5,000 crore to the industry.
But we will not stop our protest until the government takes us seriously. Vehicles that ply during the strike will do so at their own risk,” said Radakrishna Holla, president, BTTOA.
However, major taxi services to the Kempegowda International Airport were not affected.
