Indian lorry drivers end strike
Deal is reached with government ending three-day strike over increased fuel costs.
Brahm Dutt, India’s transport ministry secretary, said the government had also agreed that there would be “no increase in toll taxes for a year on government-funded national highway stretches”.
The government had issued a directive to state-run oil companies to make available non-branded diesel in all their outlets so that lorry drivers do not have to pay more for premium fuel, a transport ministry official said.
At least 4.8 million lorry drivers had been on strike since July 2, putting pressure on food and other supplies across India.
Discontent among lorry drivers had been brewing since the government last month increased petrol and diesel prices for the second time this year to stem huge losses at state-run oil companies, stirring political opposition and street protests.