Schools and colleges in the city remained shut on Tuesday while bus and autorickshaw services were partially affected on the first day of the two-day nationwide strike called by central trade unions.
However, Namma Metro was operational and cabs plied on the roads. Hospitals functioned as usual, but patient flow was comparatively lesser.
A few incidents of protesters pelting stones at buses, forcefully entering technology parks in Whitefield, and taking out rallies in various part of the city were reported through the day.
Stones thrown at buses
Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) operated a thin fleet after stones were thrown at six buses by protesters.
N.V. Prasad, Managing Director, BMTC, said, “The total damage is estimated to be ₹22,159. Later, we sent out buses only as per requirement. Out of the 3,226 schedules, 854 were operated.”
Non-operation of the full fleet resulted in a revenue loss of ₹3.5 crore, said officials.
The KSRTC operated 2,199 schedules out of 5,532. At Majestic bus stand, many people were seen waiting for KSRTC buses to resume operations.
Shailendra Puranik, 35, a project manager with a private company, was stranded. “I am from Indore and I am travelling to Mangaluru for an important meeting. But I am struck in the bus stand,” he said.
Another passenger Prasanna Raj, 48, a marketing professional who had arrived from the UAE early on Tuesday morning, took a taxi to Majestic to catch a bus. He said, “I arrived in the city at 3 a.m. I came to Majestic to catch a bus to Chikkamagaluru to meet my family. As buses are not plying, I have requested my friend to drive me down.”
Auto, cab drivers demand higher fare
At the airport, security had been tightened. BMTC, KSRTC and cab services were available. A supervisor with one of the cab aggregators said there was greater demand for cabs on Tuesday.
Kamal Jadhwani, an IT employee who arrived in the city on Tuesday morning, said, “I knew about the strike. Thankfully, cab services were not affected.”
Taking advantage of the limited bus services, autorickshaw and cab drivers overcharged passengers.
Gangamma, 45, travelled from Kalaburagi to meet her son, who works in an IT firm in the city. “My son had to leave his work to come and pick me up as the autorickshaw drivers were overcharging,” she said.
Business down at City Market
Vendors at City Market saw a fall in customers on Tuesday.
Manjula S., a flower vendor, said, “I would sell all the flowers by 10.30 a.m., but on Tuesday, I was at work till afternoon, and I haven't even sold half of my stock. I was forced to reduce the prices.”
Vegetable vendors did not receive their daily supplies. “We are selling the supplies from Monday. Hopefully, supply will resume on Wednesday,” said V. Pandya.
Protesters enter IT parks
A group of protesters stormed into ITPL in Whitefield, following which the technology park made a public announcement asking all companies to shut down and the employees to go home.
“I had gone out for lunch. When I came back, we were asked to go home. A holiday has been declared on Wednesday. Most companies will work on Saturday,” said one of the employees.
Merchant helps couple
A cloth merchant from Chickpet played Good Samaritan for a couple from Vijayapura, who came to the city to get treatment for their child. The couple, who are labourers from Vijayapura, did not know about the bandh. Their one-month-old infant was suffering from an eye-related ailment. The couple, who wanted to go to Narayana Netrayala in Electronics City, were unable to get a bus and could not afford an autorickshaw.
Sabhapathy, a cloth merchant who had a car, was seen offering help to stranded people at the bus station. When he saw the couple with the baby, he offered to drop them to their destination.
‘Strike successful’
Calling day-one of the two-day nationwide strike successful, All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) said banks, defence sector, insurance and telecom employees participated in the strike in Bengaluru. “Industrial areas in Jigani, Peenya, Bommasandra and Electronics City were completely shut down,” said a press statement.
The protesters demanded that the central Government reconsider its ‘anti-labour’ policies.
(With inputs from Rakshitha R. & Sabreesh Swaminathan)