After a marathon negotiation that lasted for over eight hours, and following an agreement between the transporters and the government, the three-day old truckers' strike has been called off.

The truckers have got all that they wanted and something more as well. All service tax notices sent to truckers would be withdrawn as per the agreement. The government would also set up a permanent mechanism by constituting a committee under the chairmanship of NHAI for monitoring, reviewing and overseeing of toll systems.

The committee will have the powers to examine the standard and service levels provided by operators and will recommend suitable corrective measures. On the contentious issue of toll-tax on private funded roads, it would be collected and revised as per agreement with the government and the developers. Toll tax hike will be frozen. On the demand for availability of non-branded diesel, the petroleum ministry had earlier sent a direction to all oil marketing companies to make the fuel available in adequate quantities in all their outlets across the country.

In life, certain developments do good when they end. And, a strike is one such. But the question is, why at all was it allowed to begin? The Government could have offered all these concessions well before the strike. Though the strike has lasted only three days, it has done immense damage to our economy and has affected normal life terribly. The Government has, as usual, locked the stable door after the horse has bolted.

The only consolation is that the strike has ended. And, all is well that ends well!!