MUMBAI: Trains, buses, autos and taxis are plying normally in Mumbai since morning as opposition parties observed
Bharat bandh on Monday to protest against fuel price hikes.
Sources said stones were pelted on two BEST buses near Vashi Naka and at Pratiksha Nagar bus depot, but nobody was injured in the incidents.
"The window panes were damaged but there were no injuries to any passenger or to our staff," said BEST chief spokesperson Hanumant Gophane.
Most of the petrol pumps in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai are closed. Although pump owners in Mumbai said they will not participate in the 'political' bandh and will function 24x7, they have sought police protection, installed CCTV cameras and barricaded their premises to prevent any untoward incident.
There is tremendous fear among petrol pump owners as MNS has supported bandh call given by the opposition parties.
In Mumbai, petrol price was Rs 88.12 per litre and while that of diesel was Rs 77.32 per litre on Monday.
Autorickshaw and taxi drivers have not joined the protest, but unions said that if there is any untoward incident, autos may go off toads later in the day.
School bus owners have refrained from joining any protest and are functioning normally. Buses arrived at the stops in the morning to pick up school children. “We too are protesting the fuel price hikes, but in the form of a bus fee hike of Rs 75 per student per month. We are not part of the Bharat bandh on Monday," pointed out Anil Garg of School Bus Owners' Association.
Transporters will not align themselves with the political bandh as they had already called for a nationwide strike which went for eight days in July. "We will decide on nationwide protest after our emergency meeting of all transporters on September 21,” said Bal
Malkit Singh of All India Motor Transport Congress.
