The strike call was given to force the government to reduce national permit fee, duty on imported tyres and toll taxes.

Consumers may not feel the pinch immediately, as most traders have said stocks would last a day or two. The transport association has also decided to lenient in the initial days, by allowing most essential commodities to pass through.

Movement of all goods, barring vegetable and milk, will be allowed. “We will see for a day or so. If the government does not intervene, even these goods will be prevented from being transported,” said Prakash Gawli, president of the Maharashtra Rajya Truck, Tempo, Tankers, Bus Transport Mahasangh, at a press conference.

The decision to call the strike was taken at a meeting of representatives of transport organisations on Friday in Mumbai. “In the time of an economic slowdown, the government should take a decision to make business profitable for transporters as well. We want import duty on tyres slashed by 35 per cent and the national permit fee from Rs 5,000 to Rs 1,500,” Gawli said.

The association is also demanding a slash in diesel price, which is now Rs 36 a litre. “We want diesel price slashed by at least Rs 10,” he said.

The effect of the strike, if it carries on, will be seen only after a day or two, when stocks run out. “We have fruit and vegetable to last two days. If the strike continues, there will be a problem. We will be able to get only local supplies and may not get goods from other districts,” said Shivlal Bhosale, president of the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC).