The eight-day-old strike by transporters has been called off after negotiations between the government and the representatives of the All India Motors Transport Congress (AIMTC).

"The strike has been called off," Transport Secretary Brahm Dutt said, emerging from a second round of talks with the truckers in the afternoon on Monday.

He, however, did not disclose the details of the agreement reached between the government and AIMTC managing committee members.

Industry relieved as truckers end strike

Industry on Monday expressed relief over truckers ending their eight-day strike, which impeded work in key areas at a time when businesses were reeling under the global meltdown.

Industry body CII said the end of strike was a matter of relief as it was ‘holding up major economic activities, including transportation of essential goods’.

It expressed the hope that the transporters would get their demands resolved without disrupting the economy in future.

Besides, FICCI said that the strike had created an uncertainty at a time when the economy was going through a critical phase.

"Continuation of the strike would have imposed further strain through increase in prices and disruption in industrial activity," it said.