Bharat Bandh: APMCs remain shut in many parts of Maharashtra; public transport unaffected

Public transport services in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra remained largely unaffected, while APMC markets downed shutters on Tuesday in response to the 'Bharat Bandh' called by farmer unions to press for repeal of the Centre's new agricultural laws.

The day-long shutdown received support from non-BJP parties whose workers took to streets to express solidarity with the agitating cultivators.

However, normal life remained by and large unaffected and peaceful in the state where a three-party alliance, led by the Shiv Sena, is in power.

Trains, public and private buses, taxis and auto- rickshaws operated as usual though the state-owned MSRTC curtailed some services due to the agitation and lack of passengers response.

Suburban services as well as outstation trains from Mumbai remained unaffected, said Shivaji Sutar, chief public relations officer (CPRO), Central Railway.

Leaders of taxi and auto rickshaw unions told PTI that their services in Mumbai remained normal.

A spokesperson of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST), which operates buses in Mumbai and its adjoining cities, said almost 85 per cent of its services were on roads.

"Out of 3,435 scheduled buses, 2,913 buses plied on roads," he said.

Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) PRO Abhijit Bhosale said they curtailed some operations either due to poor passenger response or as a precautionary measure.

Bhosale said MSRTC operated only 7,634 buses out of 11,799 scheduled services till Tuesday noon.

He said 3,717 buses were cancelled due to the bandh and 448 for other reasons.

"No report of any untoward incident was reported in the state" Bhosale said.

Truck operators said the movement of goods was affected to an extent as several truckers chose not to operate in view of the shutdown.

"Many truckers have kept their vehicles off roads in support of the strike, but we haven't stopped movement of essential commodities," said Kailash Pingle, leader of the Maharashtra Rajya Motor Malak Sangh.

Transportation of essential commodities like milk, vegetables and fruits were excluded from the purview of the bandh, said Daya Natkar, secretary, Maharashtra Rajya Truck Tempo Tankers Vahatuk Sangh.

Taxi union leader A L Quadros said taxis are plying in Mumbai as the coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent lockdown had already hit the sector severely.

The ruling Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress extended support to the shutdown, but appealed to protesters not to disrupt public transport services.

In Pune also, public transport remained unaffected.

"All our operations in the city are unaffected and no incident of buses being stopped anywhere has been reported yet," said an official from PMPML (Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal).

Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) remained closed in many parts of Maharashtra in response of the bandh.

Wholesale markets in major cities like Pune, Nashik, Nagpur and Aurangabad remained shut. Retail shops also downed shutters in many cities.

APMCs at Kalyan and Vashi in Navi Mumbai, which supplies bulk of vegetables and fruits to Mumbai, remained closed, with wholesalers and traders supporting the shutdown.

On a normal day, thousands of trucks transport vegetables, fruits, foodgrains and spices to APMCs every day across the state.

Police officials said public services were partially affected in Thane and Palghar cities, which fall under the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

In Pune district, APMCs remained shut and no transactions took place on their premises.

A senior APMC official said only 20 per cent of the normal volume of the agriculture produce was received on Monday night.

"A total of 188 vehicles, including 25 trucks, from other states reached the APMC in Pune last night. All shops in the APMCs remained closed today and no transactions took place," he said.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik, who is also a state minister, led a protest of party workers in suburban Chembur in Mumbai.

Workers of the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress held a demonstration in support of farmers at Alka Chowk in Pune.

In Kolhapur in western Maharashtra, activists of the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghtana (SSS) staged a demonstration and burnt copies of the contentious agri laws.

A protest was held at Puntamaba village in Ahmednagar district which was the epicentre of a farmer agitation in 2017, with shops and commercial establishments remaining shut.

At least 60 to 70 members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and its affiliated outfits were detained during a protest in Solapur city, police said.

CPM leader Narasayya Adam led the agitation in support of the bandh called by farmers demanding repealing of the Centre's agri laws.

Workers of the AICCTU, CPI and student organisations blocked a highway in Aurangabad district to extend their support to the agitating farmers.

The police detained volunteers from the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Communist Party of India, Satyashodhak Vidyarthi Sangatana, Students Federation of India and other associations, an official said.

The bandh was called against the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020, all of which were passed by Parliament.

The three farm laws enacted in September have been projected by the Modi government as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country.

However, the protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of MSP and do away with the mandis, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.

The Centre has repeatedly asserted these mechanisms will remain in place.