Due to an indefinite strike by truck operators in Karnataka, lorries were parked along the roadside in Sathyamangalam in Erode district in Tamil Nadu, on April 15, 2025. Photo Credit: Special arrangement
With truck operators in Karnataka launching an indefinite strike from midnight on Monday (April 14, 2025), lorries from various districts that operate along the Sathyamangalam–Bannari–Dhimbam–Hasanur stretch of National Highway 948 (Dindigul–Mysuru) stayed off the road on Tuesday (April 15).
The strike, announced demanding rollback of the recent diesel price hike and reduction in toll charges, brought the movement of goods to a standstill. Hundreds of trucks laden with vegetables, fruits, milk, poultry, sugarcane, agricultural and non-agricultural produce, coir and industrial goods transport the products between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka on a daily basis. Most of these lorries originate from Erode, Tiruppur, Coimbatore and neighbouring districts.
The 29-km stretch of the highway that passes through the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR)—from the Bannari check-post to Karapallam forest check-post near Karnataka border—typically sees heavy lorry movement between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
However, due to the strike, most lorries, except those carrying essential items, remained off the road and were parked along roadsides in Sathyamangalam and surrounding areas. Lorry owners said they would resume loading their vehicles only after the strike is called off. The usually busy check-posts at Bannari and Karapallam wore a deserted look, with only private vehicles passing through.
A Forest Department official told The Hindu that more than 1,200 lorries pass through the Karapallam check-post daily—both entering Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. “Lorry movement dropped by 50% on Monday and was minimal on Tuesday,” he added.
Published – April 15, 2025 12:25 pm IST
