The State-wide strike by a section of private bus workers hit normal life in the district on Tuesday. The strike was called by the Kerala State Private Bus Transport Workers’ Federation, affiliated to the Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU), seeking acceptance of its charter of demands.
The services of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses and shuttle services started by owners and vans and other vehicles were no solution to the travel woes of commuters.
Bus stands and major bus stops in towns witnessed crowds of passengers waiting for KSRTC buses and other vehicles to go to places of work.
The commuters on the Kannur- Thalassery, Kannur- Iritty, and Kannur-Payyanur stretches were badly affected by the strike.
The vehicles that operated parallel services were reported to have collected three or four times the normal bus fare from the commuters. The striking workers took out a demonstration in the town in the morning.
Staff Reporter writes from Kasaragod: The day-long strike partially affected life in Kasaragod.
As private bus workers kept away from operating services to express solidarity with their agitating comrades, trade and business volumes registered a visible low.
However, the strong presence of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses on the Mangalore- Kasaragod- Kannur stretch of the national highway and the Kasaragod- Kanhangad State highway was a solace to the travelling public.
Public transport vehicles plied in urban and semi-urban localities. Students, office-goers, and women commuting from and to hilly hamlets were the worst hit. Many travelled by train in view of the limited number of KSRTC buses. Many traders closed shops early in view of the poor business.
