<p class="title">The day-long strike called by central trade unions was near total in Left-ruled Kerala on Wednesday, with vehicles, including state-owned KSRTC and private buses keeping off the roads.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In the state capital, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) did not operate city and long-distance services.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Very few private vehicles and autorickshaws were seen plying on roads.</p>.<p class="bodytext">As Sabarimala pilgrims have been exempted from the strike, KSRTC buses are taking Ayyappa devotees to Pamba.</p>.<p class="bodytext">With trade unions of the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and opposition Congress-headed UDF participating in the strike, most of the staff did not turn up at the Secretariat.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other ministers also did not attend office.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The weekly state cabinet meeting scheduled for Wednesday had been held a day earlier.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Police have made arrangements to ensure that there are no untoward incidents and 160 police pickets have been set up at various junctions in the city.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Railway sources said train services were unaffected by the strike called by various trade unions and there were no protests at railway stations.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, passengers who reached the railway station here this morning had a tough time getting vehicles.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Police vehicles were arranged to take patients coming for treatment at the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), Medical College Hospital and Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Initial reports said some Sabarimala pilgrims from Tamil Nadu had to wait for over two hours in Punalur in Kollam to get KSRTC buses for Pamba.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Shops and business establishments were also shut across the state despite the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi, an organisation of traders, stating that they would remain open.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Mahatma Gandhi, Kerala and Kannur universities have postponed various examinations scheduled for Wednesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The central trade unions are protesting against labour reforms, FDI, disinvestment, corporatisation and privatisation policies of the government. They are pressing for a 12-point charter of demands of the working class relating to minimum wage and social security, among others.</p>.<p class="bodytext">This is the second shutdown within a month in Kerala.</p>.<p class="bodytext">On December 7, the state had observed a dawn-to-dusk hartal called by at least 30 Muslim outfits to protest against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). </p>
<p class="title">The day-long strike called by central trade unions was near total in Left-ruled Kerala on Wednesday, with vehicles, including state-owned KSRTC and private buses keeping off the roads.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In the state capital, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) did not operate city and long-distance services.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Very few private vehicles and autorickshaws were seen plying on roads.</p>.<p class="bodytext">As Sabarimala pilgrims have been exempted from the strike, KSRTC buses are taking Ayyappa devotees to Pamba.</p>.<p class="bodytext">With trade unions of the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and opposition Congress-headed UDF participating in the strike, most of the staff did not turn up at the Secretariat.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other ministers also did not attend office.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The weekly state cabinet meeting scheduled for Wednesday had been held a day earlier.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Police have made arrangements to ensure that there are no untoward incidents and 160 police pickets have been set up at various junctions in the city.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Railway sources said train services were unaffected by the strike called by various trade unions and there were no protests at railway stations.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, passengers who reached the railway station here this morning had a tough time getting vehicles.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Police vehicles were arranged to take patients coming for treatment at the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), Medical College Hospital and Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Initial reports said some Sabarimala pilgrims from Tamil Nadu had to wait for over two hours in Punalur in Kollam to get KSRTC buses for Pamba.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Shops and business establishments were also shut across the state despite the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi, an organisation of traders, stating that they would remain open.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Mahatma Gandhi, Kerala and Kannur universities have postponed various examinations scheduled for Wednesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The central trade unions are protesting against labour reforms, FDI, disinvestment, corporatisation and privatisation policies of the government. They are pressing for a 12-point charter of demands of the working class relating to minimum wage and social security, among others.</p>.<p class="bodytext">This is the second shutdown within a month in Kerala.</p>.<p class="bodytext">On December 7, the state had observed a dawn-to-dusk hartal called by at least 30 Muslim outfits to protest against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). </p>