Thiruvananthapuram: The 48-hour general strike called by various trade unions to protest the anti-labour policies of the Central government on Tuesday was almost total in the state capital. Several trains were delayed for hours owing to the sit in protest staged by protesters at the railway station in front of passenger and long distant trains.
Private and KSRTC buses were kept off the road by the protesters putting public at the receiving end.
At around 4.50 am, around hundred of protesters of CITU barged inside the Thiruvanant-hapuram railway station and staged a sit in protest in front o the Venad Express shouting slogans against the Central government.
According to railway authorities, the strike supporters disbursed only after 6.30 am delaying the train by 92 minutes. After this the protestors delayed the services of Jana Sadabdi Express, Raptisagar Express, Parasuram, Dhanbad Express and many other trains. Railway authorities said that most of the trains are running late due to the protest. Parasuram Express, which was delayed by 108 minutes, had to held at Nemom station.
Supporters of the general strike downed the shutters of various offices and other institutions. Employees who came for work were seen standing outside the offices during the morning hours. There was a slight delay in getting transportation for several patients who arrived at the railway station to go to RCC and other hospitals from far off places. There were absolutely no resistance against plying of private vehicles.
However, majority of the public expressed disinterest as the strike was called for 48 hours. Valsala P, who came all the way from Tirur for her treatment at RCC, said that one day strike was okay. “Me and my husband arrived a day ahead and today we are going back after treatment. Because I had the RCC card we got a free lift from RCC to the railway station. 48 hours is too much when we reach our place we may not get transportation. Also its hard for people like me to wait for longer hours after treatment,” Valsala said.
Sunitha Babu, who came from Kollam with her daughter, said that she luckily got lift from SAT Hospital to reach the railway station.
“There were private vehicles and police vehicles for helping patients. We got free ride from the hospital,” she said. Protesters blocked few autorickshaws at Manacaud who took passengers.
