Transporters strike enters second day

The indefinite strike called by transporters in Jammu and Kashmir demanding 50 per cent increase in fares entered second day on even as the state government constituted a three-member panel to look in their demands.

No private transport vehicle plied on on any route in the valley for the second day causing much inconvenience to thousands of pilgrims visiting the holy cave shrine of Mata Vaishnodevi.

As a result of the strike, more than 50,000 pilgrims are stranded at the Jammu railway station and 70,000 in Katra, the base camp of Vaishnodevi.

The indefinite strike call was given by All Jammu and Kashmir Transport Welfare Association.

The state-run Road Transport Corporation has started special bus services to ferry passengers from Jammu to various destinations.

The state government had constituted a committee to look into the demands of the transporters.

The association president said transporters are annoyed at the government's move to constitute another committee when a panel appointed by it earlier is yet to submit its report.

"We are continuing the strike. The government failed to redress the grievances of the transporters, who had demanded fifty percent increase in fare," he said.

Justifying his stand, he said the fares have not been revised since 2005 while petroleum products and spare parts prices increased during this period.

"The recent hike in prices of petrol, diesel are intolerable for the transporters in the state and we demand immediate increase in passenger fares and freight," he said.