Chennai: The 'Bharat bandh' called by Congress party against rising fuel price affected normalcy only to some extent in the city. While some shop owners downed their shutters, state transport department operated buses in a full- fledged manner. Several opposition parties including principal opposition party, DMK in the state had extended their support to the bandh.
Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) operated a full fleet of buses in the city, with Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) and State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) too operating buses across the state. However, most lorries were off the road, while 70 percent of autos affiliated to CITU, AITUC and DMK-affiliated Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) took part in the strike.
"We operated 100 percent of MTC fleets and damage to buses was not reported from anywhere," said Anbu Abraham, Managing Director, MTC. Similarly, state-run mofussil buses were properly operated. "All the TNSTC and SETC buses were plying safely. However, buses bound for Bengaluru were stopped outside Bengaluru city, as tension prevailed in Karnataka," said a senior official, SETC. However, about three lakh lorries were off the road, according to members of Tamil Nadu Lorry Owners Federation.
Shops were shut in some parts of the city in the morning. Later on, all the shops were open. "We closely monitored the bandh and there were no untoward incidents till noon. So, we opened our shops," said a bunch of shop owners in Avadi.
Commercial establishments and educational institutions were also open in the city. Moreover, since the Koyambedu market was open, more consumers were seen purchasing vegetables and other items.
The state also witnessed protests held by opposition parties. In Chennai, R Mutharasan, state secretary, CPI and K Balakrishnan, state secretary, CPM staged protests, which later turned into road-roko. All the cadres were arrested by police and they were released later. Similarly, Congress cadre held a demonstration in Chepauk.
