The indefinite "Chakka-Jam" called by Bihar Motor Transport Federation (BMTF) entered its third day today with around 2.5 lakh trucks and 70,000 buses going off the roads in the state.

"Around 2.5 lakh trucks and 70,000 buses, besides other commercial vehicles are off the roads...the strike has immensely affected business activities," BMTF general secretary U P Singh said.

Business organisations and state finance department estimated a business loss of Rs 40 to 45 crore on an average per day because of the strike, officials said.

The BMTF has called the strike to protest the imposition of the Damage to property Act on overloaded vehicles and FIR against their owners.

Most major markets in Patna and other business centres in Bihar continued to wear a deserted look in absence of trucks and prices of vegetables, poultry and milk products have started rising.

Bihar Transport minister R N Singh yesterday held a meeting with representatives of BMTF but it ended in a stalemate.

"We have requested the transporters to postpone their strike in consideration of the month of Ramzan and the Hindu festivals so that the common people do not face hardship during the festive season," the minister said.

The BMTF sources argued that they were not responsible for overloading as transport companies and middlemen force them to it.

The BMTF general secretary ruled out the possibility of withdrawing the strike unless the demand for revocation of the order for imposition of Damage to property Act on overloaded vehicles was not taken back.

Meanwhile, the truckers of West Bengal have decided to stop sending their vehicles to Bihar expressing solidarity with the BMTF, the BMTF general secretary claimed.