THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The dawn to dusk hartal declared by the Congress was partial in the capital with several four-wheelers and a handful of buses plying throughout the day on Thursday. A few violent incidents were reported across the district. KSRTC operated its Ananthapuri and interstate bus service from the morning based on the passengers’ requirements earlier in the day.
A family stranded at Thiruvananthapuram central railway station on the hartal day on Monday. (Photo: Peethambaran Payyeri)
KSRTC operated services to the Medical College and RCC. A KSRTC bus was targeted by stone-pelters at Poovachal at 6 am. Later in the morning suspected hartal supporters attacked another bus at Aryanad. Buses were blocked at Vellanad, Vithura and Nedumangad. Several private vehicles and buses were blocked at Parassala also.
Despite hartal, KSRTC operated schedules on Monday. A view from East Fort. (Photo: A.V. MUZAFAR)
During the rally to the Secretariat, private vehicles were stopped and turned away near Bakery junction. The protestors shut down a shopping mall close to the over bridge on MG Road. A bike showroom at Palayam was also closed down. The wholesale markets did not function in the city through trading resumed in several areas at 4 pm.
The companies at Technopark and VSSC conducted services on a convoy basis. A handful of autorickshaws operated and served as a feeder system for the convoy services. Fuel pumps including Supplyco run outlets were closed down. Meanwhile in an unrelated incident, former minister V. Surendran Pillai was injured in a fall near the Secretariat where a protest rally was being inaugurated.
