Freight charges would jump by 15 per cent in case the government didn't roll back the increase in diesel prices, All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) warned.

Malkit Singh, president of AIMTC, said that the increase in the prices of diesel would push motor transport operators' costs up, which would be passed on to customers because it would not be easy for operators to absorb the increase.

Speaking on the topic, Malkit Singh said, "The hike in diesel prices has jacked up our cost of operations by almost 15 percent. It will be difficult for us to absorb and will pass on the hike to the customers."

To protest the diesel price hike, the transporters association will go on a 24-hour strike starting Wednesday midnight.

Malkit said they decided to keep trucks off the roads for 24 hours as a mark of protest, and claimed that around 75 lakh trucks would participate in the strike across the country.

He said that the transporters were already under the increasing burden of soaring prices of toll, lubricants, tyres and spare parts; and stressed that recent increase in diesel prices would increase inflation further.

Malkit warned that would resort to an indefinite strike if the government didn't roll back its decision with thirty days.