Normal life was affected today as buses, taxi and auto-rickshaws remained off roads in support of a nationwide strike called by the transport unions, a police officer said.
The protesters demanded the withdrawal of the proposed Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha recently and is waiting for the Rajya Sabha's nod.
All Odisha Transport Workers' Federation (AOTWF) along with other trade unions, including the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), observed a 12-hour strike today to protest against the provisions of Amendment Bill, the officer said.
"Though commercial vehicles remained off the roads, school buses, ambulances and milk vans were exempted from the purview of the strike. Even then, some school buses refused to ply on roads, fearing backlash by the agitators," he added.
The Bill will hamper the interests of vehicle owners, drivers and insurance companies, a member of AOTWF claimed.
"We demand withdrawal of the decision to make amendments to Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The Bill is anti-people as it proposes the use of spare parts manufactured by branded companies. If passed by the Parliament, it would badly affect the small-scale enterprises in automobile manufacturing sector," he added.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
