Chandigarh:
The NDA and Left sponsored Bharat Bandh to protest hike in fuel prices today evoked near total response in Punjab and parts of Haryana.
In Punjab, ruled by Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and BJP alliance, the bandh is near total with commercial establishments and schools remaining closed.
"The bandh in Punjab is total and peaceful," SAD spokesman Daljeet Singh Cheema said here.
"Essential services, however, are not paralysed," he said.
However, officials maintained that rail and road traffic was plying and banks were opened.
Reports from Ludhiana, Phagwara and Jalandhar said that shops, commercial establishments and schools were closed in the wake of the bandh call.
In Congress-ruled neighbouring Haryana where opposition parties, including Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and CPI and CPI (M), are supporting the bandh call the situation was mixed.
At some places, schools and commercial establishments are open.
However, reports of total bandh have been received from Ambala. Main markets like Sarafa Bazaar, wholesale market, grain market remained closed, officials said.
The bandh, however, did not hit the working of the educational institutions as most of the colleges and schools remained open in the district.
In Ambala Cantonment, a number of BJP workers led by local MLA Anil Vij persuaded the shopkeepers to close down their shops.
Most of the business institutions remained closed in Barara town too.
In Sonepat, shops were closed in response to the bandh.
However, road traffic was plying normal. All the educational institutions and government offices were also open.