Vehicular traffic went off the roads in response to a 14-hour transport strike called by the Mizoram Road Transport Union (MRTU), the apex body of the state vehicle owners and drivers' associations today.

Public transport vehicles including city buses and taxis did not ply in state capital Aizawl causing severe hardship to commuters like government employees and students, official reports said.

Classes were suspended in some private schools owing to lack of transport facilities for students.

The MRTU called the bandh in protest against the state government's decision to hike the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 0.50 a litre to cover the losses incurred on public distribution system (PDS).

President of the MRTU R. Lalhmunmawia said the contention of the state government that the price of oil is the lowest in Mizoram as compared to other states is not tenable as the vehicles consumed more petrol due to the difficult terrain and extreme bad condition of the roads.

The MRTU also protested scarcity of oil in the state for weeks and the appalling condition of the roads.

Opposition Mizo National Front (MNF), Mizoram People's Conference (MPC), Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) and the BJP extended support to the 'chakka jam' call.