The Karnataka bandh called by various organisations on sharing of Mahadayi river water evoked a good response across the State, especially in Bengaluru, Mysuru and districts of North Karnataka.
By and large, the bandh was peaceful except for a few skirmishes between protesters and the police at a few places. The districts of Dharwad, Gadag, Belagavi and Bagalkot district, which come under the Malaprabha basin to which water is being sought through diversion from the Mahadayi basin, responded overwhelmingly to the bandh call.
Bengaluru virtually came to a standstill in support of the bandh and similar was the response in Mysuru.
The bandh was a success in Hassan, Chamarajanagar, partial in Shivamogga, and a failure in Mandya. The coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi also saw no response. There was a mixed response at Chitradurga, Vijayapura, Ballari, Yadgir and there was little response in the districts of Bidar, Raichur and Kalaburagi.
In several districts of North Karnataka, commercial establishments remained shut till evening in support of the bandh. Autorickshaws, cabs and buses of the North West Road Transport Corporation remained off the roads. There was not much traffic on the roads except for two-wheelers and a few four-wheelers.
While the National Highway 218 remained out of bounds for motorists between Hubballi and Naragund, protesters at the Toll Plaza on the Hubballi-Dharwad Bypass Road blocked the National Highway No. 4 till evening resulting in the lining up of vehicles.
