M Karunanidhi dead: When the Chennai stopped and sobbed

The city came to a virtual standstill as soon as DMK chief M Karunanidhi’s death was announced.

Many private firms and shops downed shutters early and employees rushing home led to traffic snarls across the city, mainly along arterial Anna Salai, Nungambakkam High Road and Ponamallee High Road. “We were asked to go home safe, as our bosses thought the announcement will instigate violence in the city,” said Shyam Sundar, a techie. Many IT companies advanced bus and cab timings to help employees.




In a bid to cash in, the few autorickshaw drivers present on the roads, many had stayed off the roads due to the transport strike, began fleecing passengers and fares of app-based taxis soared. “Cab services offered by our firm usually were cancelled. Had to wait for an hour to get a cab,” said R Sneha, a techie from OMR.

There were also long queues in petrol bunks. “I’ve asked my family to stock up on essentials,” said K Raghu, waiting at an outlet on Venkatanarayana Road, T Nagar.

MTC buses and suburban trains, all of them packed, became the most reliable and economical option. Services of all 600 private buses, scheduled to depart from Koyambedu Bus Terminal, were cancelled late in the evening. About 600 private buses bound for Chennai from other districts, particularly Madurai, Trichy and Coimbatore, were also cancelled and tickets were either refunded or postponed.

A Afzal, managing director of Parveen Travels and president of Tamil Nadu Omni Bus Owners Association said, “Those buses, which already left from the origin point before the announcement came out, were alone operated. People willing to travel to Chennai for the last rites of Karunaninidhi can travel for free.” On whether private buses would be operated on Wednesday, he said it would depend on the day's developments.

Most long-distance State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) buses were operated at night with support from local police, but , many government moffusil buses were not operated. All cinema halls will be shut on Wednesday and Thursday as a mark of respect to Karunanidhi and all film shootings and film-related works will not be carried out, said Tamil Film Producers Council. The Koyambedu wholesale market will be shut too.