Normal life unaffected by bandh in Tamil Nadu

Though the opposition including the DMK, CPI(M), VCK, CPI and MDMK have extended support to the  bandh called by the Congress,  services including public transport, supply of milk and other commodities continued on Monday.

Here are the latest updates on the bandh situation across the State:

Life normal in Tiruchi

 

Normal life remained unaffected in Tiruchi and other districts in the central region of Tamil Nadu, despite the bandh call by the Opposition parties. Bus services, both government and private, operated as usual. Shops and schools were open in Tiruchi.

The Left parties plan to stage road roko at different places in the region later in the day condemning the steep hike in fuel prices.

Shops open, buses ply in Madurai

 

Barring protests by the Left parties and a few small outfits like the SDPI, in around ten places across Madurai district, normal life remained unaffected. Almost all the shops were open and buses were plying as usual.

Poor response in Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari; inter-state trade hit

 

Buses are being operated as usual as there is no response to the bandh call by the opposition parties. However, buses usually operated from Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari districts to various destinations of Kerala and vice versa remain suspended. Similarly, supply of cement and vegetables to the neighbouring State has also been hit in view of the bandh.

In Kanniyakumari district, around 50% of the shops have been closed while buses are operated as usual. As unidentified miscreants targetted the buses, windscreens of 13 buses got damaged in stone pelting in the morning.

Chennai

The 'Bharath Bandh' called by the Congress and the Left Parties against the fuel price hikel, did not receive major response in the city. Transport services such as buses, trains, autos, and call- taxis are normal. Office goers, school children are seen rushing as usual.

Over 5,000 police personnel were deployed at vantage points.

Leaders of the Left parties held

CPI (M) state secretary K. Balakrishnan and CPI state secretary R.Mutharasan were taken into preventive custody when they indulged in protest against fuel price hike.

Bus depots and railway station are given adequate bandobust.

It was business as usual in Chennai as well, as there was no letup in the usual peak hour traffic along the city's arterial roads. Private vehicles and MTC buses were seen plying on the roads, with most of the shops open. However, unions affiliated to the opposition parties are participating in the bandh.

Officials said that normal bus operations of the MTC, would be maintained on Monday.

Though a number of opposition political parties proposed to participate, transport trade unions affiliated to Opposition parties like CITU and LPF said drivers and conductors would be working as usual. A senior office-bearer of CITU said they were extending only moral support to the bandh.

Earlier, the Tamil Nadu Vyabarigal Sanga Peravai announced that shops would remain open on Monday. Similarly, sources in Aavin said that milk supply would be maintained.

Not much impact in Coimbatore

In Coimbatore, normal life was not affected as shops and commercial establishments opened as usual. Around 60% of the city buses were operating but those bound for Kerala were not plying. TNSTC is operating all the local services as usual while some of the private buses have kept off the road.

Hosever Buses bound to Karnataka from here were stopped at Hosur, the police added.

In Tirupur, majority of knitwear units remained closed.

Around 60% of hotels, shops and establishments closed in Coimbatore city in the morning. The bandh did not have much impact on the normal life in rural parts of Coimbatore where majority of the shops and establishments are open.

Few shops closed in Thoothukudi

Shops at the old bus stand and a few restaurants have been closed in Thoothukudi. All buses ply as usual. A section of the autos are off the roads.

Most shops down shutters in the Nilgiris

 

The Bharat Bandh saw a good response in the Nilgiris district with over 70 per cent of the shops and business establishment closed.

(With inputs from R. Rajaram, R. Sivaraman, Sudhakar)