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.
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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.