Strike against amended Motor Vehicle Act hits normal life in Delhi, NCR

Commuters in Delhi and the adjoining National Capital Region (NCR) areas faced difficulties in commuting amid transport strike on Thursday against the amended Motor Vehicle Act (MVA).

Cabs, auto-rickshaws and private buses did not hit the road following the strike call given by the United Front of Transport Associations (UFTA)— an umbrella body of over 50 unions in Delhi-NCR—against the steep penalties under the amended MVA.

Blaming BJP-led Centre and AAP-led Delhi government for not listening to the demands, UFTA General Secretary Shyamlal Gola said, "We have been seeking redressal of our grievances related to the new MV Act from both Centre and Delhi government for the last 15 days, but no solution is there in sight thus forcing us to go for the one-day strike.”

Meanwhile, office-goers faced difficulties in reaching their workplaces, parents too had a hard time while taking their children to schools on Thursday morning. In fact, some schools in Delhi remained shut in view of the strike.

Many schools had, on Wednesday informed parents about their closure in view of the day-long strike.

GD Salwan Public school message read, "Dear parent, on account of the strike called by private transporters under the banner of the United Front of Transport Association in Delhi/NCR, the school shall remain closed for the students of classes nursery, KG and 10th on 19/09/2019."

Delhi Public School, Mathura Road, also remained shut and many other schools closed for the day following the poor attendance of the students.

Delhi suburb towns like Noida and Faridabad were also affected by the transport strike.

The strike will remain in force from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.