Container lorry owners and drivers who ply on the busy Manali Expressway went on a flash strike on Sunday to highlight the lack of safety on the stretch.
In the morning, two lorry drivers, Madasamy and Gnanaraj, were killed on the spot when a container lorry driven by Chelladurai came from the wrong side and hit them.
The container lorry drivers complained that traffic congestion and poor policing had caused many accidents. Also, a proposal to post volunteers to regulate traffic had not been initiated because of differences of opinion between the various container lorry owner associations, they said.
Though the police arrested the errant driver for speeding, and booked him, the drivers wanted better regulation of traffic to prevent vehicles from plying on the wrong side.
Ashok, a member of Chennai Trailer Owner’s Association, said heavy vehicles bound for factories in Sathangadu often parked on Manali Expressway, causing traffic congestion.
