Mumbai, Apr 16: Maharashtra transporters' strike to protest the Mumbai High Court's order of phasing out of more than 15-year-old vehicles, entered the 17th day today even as Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde has convened a meeting tomorrow to resolve the impasse. "The transporters' stir is now a national issue and the Union government must intervene.. However, I have called a meeting of all those concerned tomorrow evening", Shinde told reporters here.
Shinde also assured opposition leader Narayan Rane that police protection would be provided to vehicles carrying mangoes from Konkan to Mumbai for export. Earlier, Rane had made a request to this effect to Shinde.
Though the strike entered the 17th day, it has not affected the normal supply of essential commodities as the State Transporters' Federation has exempted transport of all essential goods like vegetables, fruits, milk, water and petroleum fuels like kerosene and newsprint from the strike.

About 4.5 lakh commercial vehicles are off the roads in the state since March 31 and the state transporters joined the nationwide indefinite strike from April 14 demanding uniform road tax, freight rate and diesel prices.
Meanwhile, minister of state for food and civil supplies Mohammed Naseem Khan today said stringent action would be initiated against those disrupting traffic of essential items. Action under section three of essential commodities act would be initiated against those disrupting traffic of essential items, the minister said.

Bureau Report