Protest triggers snarl-ups on Patiala-Rajpura Road

Patiala, January 3

A day after the strike by truck drivers triggered panic among people and led them to form long queues to buy fuel in the district, traffic in the royal city came to a halt after angered drivers affiliated with different trade unions staged a protest and choked the intersection outside the interstate bus terminus for about two hours.

The protest led to serpentine queues of vehicles stretching on all lanes of the Patiala-Rajpura Highway. Prerna Sharma, a resident of Urban Estate, expressed frustration over the situation. She recounted being stranded in a long queue at a fuel station the previous day, while today she found herself stuck on the Rajpura Road while heading to pick up her child from a tuition centre.

The city continues to grapple with the repercussions of the nationwide transport strike, and commuters are advised to plan their travel carefully and stay informed about the changing traffic situation on city roads.

Truck and taxi drivers, along with bus operators, yesterday launched a nationwide strike to oppose the provision of Rs 7 lakh penalty or a 10-year jail term in hit-and-run cases under the recently passed Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The All-India Motor Transport Congress said these provisions, which have yet to come into force, may lead to undue harassment of drivers and must be recalled.