Overview

• The Odisha Drivers’ Mahasangha has entered its fourth day of a statewide strike, disrupting the movement of petrol, diesel, LPG and essential commodities.
• A task force led by Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena monitors logistics around the clock and police escorts ensure fuel tankers reach depots and retail outlets.
• Utkal Petroleum Dealers’ Association warns many pumps could run dry by the weekend even as Oil Marketing Companies and officials maintain that stock levels remain sufficient.
• Drivers eased blockades on Thursday to allow vehicles carrying Congress supporters to attend Rahul Gandhi’s rally in Bhubaneswar, highlighting the protest’s political entanglements.
• Protesters continue to press a seven-point welfare charter seeking pension benefits for drivers over 60, inclusion in the Drivers’ Welfare Board and rest stops every 100 km with written government assurances.