Schools in the National Capital Region will remain closed on Thursday as transport associations in Delhi and Noida have called for a strike to protest against the hefty penalties for road traffic violations under the newly amended Motor Vehicles (MV) Act.
Commuters are likely to face problems as public transport would be off the roads on Thursday. The strike comes days after Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said the new law has improved traffic situation on Delhi roads.
Here are the top 10 points in this story:
1- The United Front of Transport Associations (UFTA) has called for the strike which represents 41 associations and unions of goods and passenger segments, including trucks, buses, autos, tempos, maxi-cabs and taxis plying in the Delhi-NCR region.
2- UFTA’s office bearers on Wednesday alleged that both the central and Delhi government are forcing them to go for the strike.
3- “On Thursday, it will be a one-day strike. But, we will have a general body meeting in two-three days. By then, if the Central or state government do not come up with a solution, then we shall go on an indefinite strike,” said Harish Sabharwal, chairman, UFTA.
4- The total expected per day loss in revenue of the transporters owing to the strike is going to be about Rs 23,000 crore.
5- Private buses, auto-rickshaws, a section of app-based cabs, trucks, grameen sevas and school vans will be off the roads on Thursday.
6- Many parents received messages from their children’s schools informing them that educational institutes will be closed on Thursday.
7- Some schools have decided to postpone exams that were scheduled to be held on Thursday and many have extended their preparatory leaves.