Bengaluru, July 7 -- Freight transport across South India could be severely affected from August 1 as truck owners have announced plans for an indefinite strike over a series of unresolved demands, including the mandatory installation of GPS devices and panic buttons in commercial vehicles.

South India Motor Transport Association (SIMA) president GR Shanmugappa said the strike would begin if governments failed to respond positively before July 30. He said around 24 lakh lorries across the southern states, including nearly seven lakh in Karnataka, would participate in the protest.

The association alleged that the implementation of GPS and panic button requirements has been marked by wide variations in charges across different states. Sha...