AP Lorry Strike Starts Today, Dec 9: Over 10,000 Lorries Halted; Vegetables & Goods Prices Set to Rise

Goods transport across Andhra Pradesh has come to a halt from today, December 9, after the Andhra Pradesh Lorry Owners’ Association launched a statewide bandh protesting against the steep hike in lorry testing and fitness charges imposed by the Central Government.

The association has strongly opposed the increase in fitness fees for vehicles older than 13 years. Issuing a stern warning, AP Lorry Owners’ Association General Secretary Eshwara Rao said that if the revised charges are not rolled back immediately, the association may be forced to stop all vehicles that are more than 12 years old from operating on roads, further intensifying the crisis.

He highlighted that the fitness fee for vehicles older than 20 years has been increased sharply to ₹33,040. In addition, lorries that have crossed 12 years of service are also facing heavy fee hikes, pushing vehicle owners into serious financial distress.

Eshwara Rao also clarified that there is no legal compulsion for state governments to strictly enforce every Central Government notification, and urged the Andhra Pradesh Government to step in without delay and provide relief to the transport sector.

As part of the agitation, the association announced that nearly 10,000 goods vehicles operating at transport hubs, railway goods sheds, and shipyards will be off the roads. Officials have warned that the bandh is expected to severely disrupt commercial transportation across the state, with a possible impact on the supply of essential commodities and industrial logistics.