Maharashtra Bandh: Here are key things to know

The BEST authorities have sought police protection

Amid a bandh call across Maharashtra by three partners in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government to protest the killing of four farmers in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri district, eight BEST buses were vandalised in different areas of Mumbai between midnight and 8 am today.

Here are key things to know about the Maharashtra bandh:

1. Bus services were affected in Mumbai and neighbouring areas on Monday and most of the shops and commercial establishments remained closed.

2. Buses of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST- the transport undertaking of the city civic body) and many of the traditional 'black-yellow cabs' remained off roads.

3. There were huge crowds on suburban railway stations to commute by local trains, which were running as per schedule.

Also read: Maharashtra bandh over Lakhimpur violence; bus services affected

4. In the morning, shops and other commercial establishments, barring those engaged in selling essential items, remained closed in Mumbai.

5. Local trains, considered as the lifeline of Mumbai, were operating normally, but running packed as road commuters shifted to suburban rail services.

6. The Metro rail services were also operating normally in the city.

7. In Pune, the Federation of Trade Association of Pune (FTAP) president Fattechand Ranka said all shops, except those dealing in essential items, will remain closed till 3 pm on Monday.

8. Over 2,000 traders dealing in fruits, vegetables, flowers, grains, onions and potatoes etc will support the bandh to show solidarity with farmers who play an all-important role in their sector, said Rohan Ursal, secretary of the Shree Chhatrapati Shivaji Market Yard Adate (Traders) Association.

9. Transport is also likely to be hit in Maharashtra's second-largest city as rickshaw unions have decided to not ply their vehicles during the duration of the shutdown on Monday. "Our organisation and several other transport groups will be supporting the bandh," said Rickshaw Panchayat functionary Nitin Pawar.

10. There was extra traffic police deployment on the city roads, where people were mostly seen travelling in private vehicles. Many senior police officials were seen visiting the 'bandobast' points.

(With PTI inputs)

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