Goods movement by road was hit as lorry owners in the district went on an indefinite strike on Thursday heeding a strike call to press for their demands.
Heavy goods carriers and trucks were off the roads with bookings of freight having been stopped, said office bearers of the Tiruchi District Lorry Owners Association.
Lorry movement to other States was also suspended in view of the indefinite strike call given by the State Lorry Owners Federation. Many goods carriers were parked in sheds at places including East Boulevard Road and Chennai ByPass Road.
One of the major demands of the striking lorry owners is withdrawal of the decision increasing the third party insurance premium by 57%. They also demanded withdrawal of the decision to scrap vehicles which were over 15 years old. The contention of the lorry owners is that majority of the goods vehicles plying across the State and elsewhere in the country were over 15 years old and that there was no logic in scrapping these vehicles.
The lorry owners also wanted among others withdrawal of the increase in Value Added Tax on petrol and diesel announced by the State government recently. Majority of lorries in Tiruchi district did not ply heeding to the call, said R.K. Prabhakaran, district secretary, Tiruchi District Lorry Owners Association.
Bookings to other States from here had been stopped nearly a week ago, while those within the State were stopped a couple of days ago, said Mr. Prabhakaran.
The strike evoked a good response, another office bearer said adding that those which had come from other States to unload goods here were allowed. Lorries transporting cement in Ariyalur district also suspended operations, said the office bearer.
