13 years ago
The 24-hour country-wide strike called by major trade unions today to protest "anti-labour" policies of the government and rising prices has evoked a mixed response with the banking and transport sector hit in some parts of the country. Track live updates from across the country here;
West Bengal: Fewer vehicles on the road but several schools and government offices remained open following the warning given by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee that absence from duty will be treated as a break in service.
Mumbai: Partial impact with financial institutions getting affected. Barring banking and insurance sector, which have a large presence of trade unions, normal life was largely unaffected in the metropolis with all essential services especially public transport functioning as usual. Smooth operations at both the city airports. Over 500 people expected to gather at South Mumbai's Azad Maidan around noon for demonstrations.
Delhi: The strike has had little impact though normal functioning of PSU banks were affected and a number of autos and taxi drivers kept their vehicles off the roads to take part in the protest.
Commuters complained that frequency of the state-run buses was low. Several passengers were stranded in the morning at railway stations and bus terminals.
Kerala: Buses kept off the roads and shops were closed in the state. The strike also affected functioning of banks and offices as pro-Left unions in the state sector joined the protest. Early reports from across the state said in most places the mobility of people was hit as the impact of the strike was near total in the transport sector with buses, taxis and auto rickshaws keeping off the road. Rail traffic was unaffected and no blockade was reported from anywhere in the early hours. No disruptions reported in electricity and water supplies.
Assam: Banks, financial companies, schools and other educational institutions remained closed and private vehicles were off the road. Flights operated normally from the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi international airport at Borjhar as well as other airports of the state. Shops and business establishments in the commercial town of Tinsukia, the business hub of upper Assam, were closed and all modes of transport off the road.
Odisha: Train services and road traffic affected as strike supporters blocked railway tracks in some places and buses, taxis and auto-rickshaws remained off the roads. Several trains were halted in Bhubaneswar, Khurda Road, Rourkela, Berhampur and Sambalpur due to demonstrations on the tracks. The strike also affected functioning of post offices, insurance and other offices as trade union activists held picketing and demonstrations in many areas to enforce the bandh.
Punjab, Haryana: Striking employees of public transport service in Punjab and Chandigarh have decided to keep the buses off the road between 12 and 2 PM. With major bank unions observing the strike, financial transactions came to a halt in all the branches of public sector banks. However, banking services in private sector banks were not affected.
Assam: Banks, financial companies, schools and other educational institutions remained closed and private vehicles were off the road. Flights operated normally from the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi international airport at Borjhar as well as other airports of the state. Shops and business establishments in the commercial town of Tinsukia, the business hub of upper Assam, were closed and all modes of transport off the road.
Odisha: Train services and road traffic affected as strike supporters blocked railway tracks in some places and buses, taxis and auto-rickshaws remained off the roads. Several trains were halted in Bhubaneswar, Khurda Road, Rourkela, Berhampur and Sambalpur due to demonstrations on the tracks. The strike also affected functioning of post offices, insurance and other offices as trade union activists held picketing and demonstrations in many areas to enforce the bandh.
Punjab, Haryana: Striking employees of public transport service in Punjab and Chandigarh have decided to keep the buses off the road between 12 and 2 PM. With major bank unions observing the strike, financial transactions came to a halt in all the branches of public sector banks. However, banking services in private sector banks were not affected.
