PTI

Bangalore, Jan 22: More than 3.5 lakh commercial vehicles, including trucks, went off roads across Karnataka today as part of an indefinite stir against the decision to make speed governors mandatory.

Around 25,000 tourist taxis, over 40,000 maxi cabs, 10,000 private tankers and 16,000 private vehicles carrying school children have joined the stir from midnight, a spokesperson of the Federation of Karnataka State Lorry Owners and Agents Association told PTI.

Though the transport of essential commodities had not been affected today, several employees, especially those with outsourcing companies had been affected by the stir. Some companies made special arrangements to transport employees.

Following a directive from the High Court, the state had enforced the installation of speed governors to check the increasing accidents.

Terming the decision as a "discriminatory" one, the spokesperson said that it is mandatory for vehicles registered in Karnataka to install speed governors but the same did not apply to vehicles from other states plying in Karnataka.

The decision, he claimed had been "prompted by a lobby" of companies who were selling the speed governors at a higher price compared to those sold in other parts of India.

"Our demand is that the installation of speed governors should be implemented in the state when the same become mandatory in rest of the country," he said