Kolkata, July 23 - Commercial vehicle operators will go on an indefinite strike in the city from Friday, after a meeting between the strikers and the West Bengal government failed to break a deadlock over the decision to ban all commercial vehicles that are over 15 years old.
With the government expressing its determination to implement a high court order banning such vehicles, at least 17 associations of commercial vehicle operators declined to withdraw the indefinite transport strike call.
The strike will be indefinite in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area, while operators in the rest of the state have called for a day's strike Friday. Taxis will also be on a day's strike Friday.
'We are determined to go on an indefinite transport strike from tomorrow (Friday).
'We'll also move the court with the issue,' said Joint Council of Bus Syndicate secretary Sadhan Das.
Kolkata Metropolitan Bus and Minibus Owners Association secretary Swarnakamal Saha, however, said Transport Minister Subhas Chakraborty had given them some proposals and the transport body reviewed it but decided to go ahead with the protest.
Chakraborty termed the strike as 'unreasonable', but claimed it may be over in a day.