Mixed response to bandh; bus services partially hit

The two-day nationwide strike called by trade unions evoked mixed response in the state on Tuesday.

The first day of the bandh was partial in Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar and Hassan districts. However, banking and postal services were affected as employees of the departments took part in the strike.

KSRTC bus service was normal in Mysuru city. Students were not affected as there was holiday for schools and colleges. More than 2,000 members of labour unions took out a rally on the main roads of the city and culminated at the Town Hall.

In Hassan, KSRTC buses stayed off the roads. In Mandya, protesters blocked the Mysuru-Bengaluru highway near Sanjay Circle for
20 minutes, affecting vehicular traffic. There was
lukewarm response in Chamarajanagar district.

The strike call received mixed response in Hubballi-Dharwad. NWKRTC, BRTS and Bendre buses remained off roads, while autorickshaws plied as usual.

The response to the strike was very good in Ballari district. Both private and government buses stayed off the roads, inconveniencing the people. Only a few autorickshaws plied. Hotels, cinema houses and banks were closed. Roadside eateries witnessed heavy rush.

Mixed response

There was a mixed response in Koppal district. However, the strike was successful in Koppal city. The cinema houses remained closed in the morning, but opened in the afternoon. Banks remained closed, but petrol bunks functioned as usual. The strike received a mixed response in Belagavi district.

Commuters across the district suffered as NWKRTC buses and autorickshaws remained off the roads. Shops and other business establishments remained open.

The bandh evoked a mixed response in Dakshina Kannada district. A majority of private and KSRTC buses operated across the district.

The bandh was partial in Udupi district. Buses of KSRTC and private operators remained off the roads. Autorickshaws and taxis continued to operate. The bandh evoked good response in Kundapur.

The strike received lukewarm response in Davangere district. KSRTC buses remained off the road. However, private buses plied as usual. Most shops, hotels and petrol bunks in the city functioned as usual.

Private banks functioned normally. As employees of some nationalised banks participated in the strike, services were affected.

In the morning, a handful of rural and city buses operated, but after some hours, they suspended services. A few autorickshaw drivers who plied their vehicles demanded exorbitant fare.

The bandh received a poor response in Shivamogga. Government offices, banks, educational institutions, business establishments and hospitals functioned as usual. But the movement of KSRTC buses was completely paralysed. The number of private buses was less than normal days.

The bandh received a poor response in Kodagu district. Private buses and autorickshaws operated as usual and shops remained open. KSRTC buses operated after 10 am.

A 57-year-old anganwadi worker, who was taking part in the protest rally by trade unions, collapsed, at Mundgod in Uttara Kannada district.

The deceased is Shanta Basavanneppa Chakrasali from Shidlagundi anganwadi. She was rushed to the hospital, but had died by then.