Bandh makes little impact; life likely to be normal today

Deputy Commissioner S. Sasikanth Senthil says educational institutions will function as usual on Wednesday

Fishing activity was as usual at Bunder during the bandh in Mangaluru on Tuesday.

Day one of the two-day Bharat Bandh called by central trade unions against the anti-labour policies of the Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre had little impact in Dakshina Kannada district, including Mangaluru city, on Tuesday, while life went on as usual except for the government-declared holiday for educational institutions.

Though buses, private as well as KSRTC, operated almost on normal lines, there were fewer number of passengers, a majority of whom apparently did not wish to take any chance in the wake of the bandh call, said a private bus operator. Operation of buses would be normal on Wednesday, said the operators.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner S. Sasikanth Senthil said that educational institutions would function as usual on Wednesday.

CITU, INTUC, HMS, DYFI and other organisations have called for 48-hour bandh in protest against the anti-labour policies of the Union government.

The Dakshina Kannada Youth Congress has called for a bandh on Wednesday against the proposed merger of Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank with the Bank of Baroda.

With closure of schools and colleges on Tuesday, there was fewer movement of people throughout the day. There were fewer commuters on city buses, service buses and inter-district buses of the KSRTC and private operators. Dilraj Alva, president of the Dakshina Kannada Bus Operators Association, said that in light of fewer turnout of passengers, they had to cut down the number of trips.

Deepak Kumar, Divisional Controller, KSRTC Mangaluru division, said that there were fewer number of passengers on KSRTC buses. “Only 35 people booked their seats on premium services from Mangaluru to Bengaluru on Tuesday night,” he said.

Operation of private express buses between Udupi and Mangaluru was affected for sometime. However, it later returned to normal.

There was normal activity at the Mangaluru Central and Mangaluru Junction Railway Stations and at the KSRTC Bus Stand.

Autorickshaws and taxis operated as usual. Normal trading and sale was seen at the Central Market and the fishing harbour. Many of the banks were open.

Protests were held near the office of the Deputy Commissioner in Mangaluru. Protests were also held in Bantwal, Belthangady, Puttur and Sullia. MLC Ivan D’Souza staged a day-long fast to protest against the merger of Vijaya Bank with Bank of Baroda.