Drivers Ended Strike in Odisha, Says State Transport Commissioner

Bhubaneswar: Lakhs of drivers in Odisha who had joined the nationwide ‘Quit Steering Wheel’ agitation to protest against the new penal law on hit-and-run cases, have called off their strike, informed State Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur on Saturday.

According to Thakur, the drivers who had joined the strike will resume work in the next few hours and public transport will return to normalcy.

The State Transport Commissioner said that the drivers called off their strike after the State government complied with their demands. A Drivers’ Welfare Fund has been formed, he said to media.

The strike of drivers had affected bus services and goods transport in the State. The agitation entered the third day on Saturday.

The new hit-and-run law under Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita, has provision for stricter penalties for hit-and-run cases, with up to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 7 lakh.