Representative image of parked trucks 
Karnataka

Karnataka lorry owners call off strike after government assures action on key demands

The lorry owners were primarily protesting the recent hike in diesel prices, following the state government's decision to increase sales tax on fuel from 18.44% to 21.17%.

Written by : TNM Staff

The indefinite strike by lorry owners and drivers in Karnataka, which disrupted the movement of goods across the state for nearly three days, was called off late Thursday, April 17 after successful negotiations with Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy.

The Federation of Karnataka State Lorry Owners and Agents’ Association (FKSLOA), representing nearly six lakh truckers and transport operators, ended their protest following a third round of talks with Ramaliga Reddy. The strike had begun at midnight on April 15, severely affecting the supply chain of both essential and non-essential goods across Karnataka.

The truckers were primarily protesting the recent hike in diesel prices, following the state government's decision to increase sales tax on fuel from 18.44% to 21.17%. This has caused diesel prices to go up by about Rs 5 per litre in the past nine months, adding to the operational burden on transporters.

Though the government ruled out a rollback of the diesel price hike, citing revenue needs, the Minister assured the association that a freight charge fixation mechanism would be introduced within three months to help truckers cope with increased costs. The mechanism will resemble pricing models used by ride-hailing platforms and aims to standardise freight rates across the state.

Other major concerns raised by the truckers included toll charges at 18 state highway booths, harassment by RTO officials, and the ‘no entry’ rules for goods vehicles in city limits during daytime hours. Reddy assured the truckers that:

  • A committee under the Transport Commissioner will be set up to review toll practices and explore alternate models used in other states.

  • Action would be taken against harassment by RTO officials at checkposts.

  • Relaxation of restrictions on truck movements during the day would be discussed with traffic police.

  • The use of agricultural tractors for commercial transport, especially for dumping construction debris, would be curbed.

Additionally, the Minister said he would write to Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari requesting a revision of the Rs 15,000 lifetime tax for fitness certificate renewal. He also assured that he would urge Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to consider a one-time 50% discount on traffic penalties accumulated by truckers.

FKSLOA president GR Shanmugappa said the government had positively considered most of their demands and hence the strike was being called off with immediate effect. “Truck and goods vehicle operations will resume across Karnataka from today,” he confirmed.

Earlier, despite a meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on April 15, truckers had refused to withdraw their protest. The CMO had defended the Rs 2 diesel cess hike as necessary and noted that fuel prices in Karnataka were still lower compared to neighbouring states.