The normal life got paralysed on Tuesday following the strike call given by the Government employees to protest against the Congress Working Committee’s decision to bifurcate the State.
The protests intensified with the Vijayawada Municipal employees joining the APNGOs’ Association, who struck work from the midnight of Monday. The VMC Employees staged a protest in front of the VMC main office.
The RTC buses were off the roads. The private autos had a field day as there was no other mode of public transportation.
Schools and colleges declared holiday in view of the strike. The petrol and diesel outlets in the city remained closed from intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.
The petroleum dealers association has given a call for 24-hour bandh.
Most of the outlets went dry by Monday evening as the motorists made a beeline to fill their vehicle tanks.
Rythu Bazaars function
Except for the Patamata Rythu Bazaar, all others functioned as usual after observing bandh for a day. The prices of onions and chillies continued to soar and the prices of other vegetables rose slightly. The PWD Rythu Bazaar Estate Officer John said that there was a dip in arrivals on Tuesday. While the arrivals are usually 2,500 quintals, on an average, daily, it was around 1,500 quintals on Tuesday, he said.
The TDP SC Cell organised a candle light procession from Kesineni Bhavan to Ambedkar Statue near Tummalapalli Kshetrayya Kalakshetram. The S.N. Puram Railway Walkers’ Association conducted a rally and formed a human chain on the BRTS Road in the morning to register their protest.
Samaikyandhra Parirakshana Committee organised a vanta varpu at Machavaram Down. Mylavaram MLA and TDP district president Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, TDP Vijayawada Parliamentary in-charge Kesineni Srinivas (Nani) and others took part in the programme.