January 05 - Trucks were noticably absent from the the roads today (Monday) after talks with officials to cut taxes and diesel prices broke down.
India's economy, Asia's third largest, has shown signs of slowing amid a global financial crisis, after growing at 9 percent or more in the past three years and this is having an effect on the country's estimated 200,000 transport companies, faced with higher fuel prices, higher interest rates on loans and competition from the railways. Estimates suggest that more than 70 percent of freight in India moves by road.
Reports indicate that Charan Singh Lohara, president of the All India Motor Transport Congress, has said that it is on an indefinite strike until its demands are met.
The government threatened on Monday to take action against the truckers if the strike continued.
