Normal life was thrown out of gear in the district following the dawn-to-dusk Statewide hartal organised by the United Democratic Front (UDF) on Monday.
Educational institutions, shops and commercial establishments remained shut in view of the hartal against the increase in prices of petroleum products. Hartal supporters threw stones at a KSRTC bus near Palarivattom in the morning. Nobody was injured in the incident. The police said that a case had been registered against two persons for destruction of public property.
At Aluva, Congress workers stopped vehicles at Kuttamassery as part of the protest. Cases were registered against five persons for obstructing public life. Congress workers staged a protest in front of the KSRTC bus depot at Aluva. The Aluva East Police said that cases were registered against five persons for not permitting vehicles to ply in the region. No case was registered against hartal supporters even though they stopped vehicles near Companypady.
Only 50% of services were available from the KSRTC’s Ernakulam depot. Officials said that ordinary services were cancelled in view of the hartal while long-distance services were not affected. The situation was similar at the corporation’s depot at Aluva.
Endless wait
The plight of passengers who got down at the Ernakulam south and north railway stations was no different this time. Many had to wait endlessly for vehicles to take them to their destinations. Kochi Metro Rail authorities said that the number of passengers who used metro train services in the morning hours was better even though the number of Kochiites, who use the services regularly, was low compared to normal days. Metro work was not affected despite the hartal, they said.
The police had provided cover to the passengers who had to take flights from Cochin International Airport at Nedumbassery. Many passengers had reached the airport the previous day itself. A release issued by the police said that about 1,500 police personnel were deployed in the district to ensure safe movement of people. Congress workers staged a march towards High Court Junction in the morning.
Representatives of the Better Kochi Response Group said the hartal only helped derail the normal life.
The Kalamassery police have booked 40 persons who attempted to close down a fuel station during the hartal.
