What was on the minds of most people a day ahead of the bandh call on Thursday was the availability of transport.
Though the employee unions of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation and the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation have said that they will be on duty, they conceded that the situation would be wholly dependent on passenger strength and security situation.
Trains are expected to run, though the Divisional Security Commissioner, Railways, of Bengaluru, Mysuru and Hubballi said security arrangements have been made at important stations by mobilising additional personnel of the Railway Protection Force. “Close coordination with GRP/local police is being maintained to ensure smooth functioning of trains. Frontline staff of railways will monitor the stations and alert control room immediately in case of any problem,” the official said.
Ananth Subray, a student and an associate at a Bengaluru-based NGO, said his colleagues from other parts of the country were flying down to the city to attend a conference in Mysuru. “We are hoping that the Flybus service from the airport will ply as usual as we have to reach Mysuru on Thursday for the conference,” he said.
Within the city too, though a holiday for schools and colleges has been declared in Bengaluru and Kolar and many private companies will also remain shut, those who are working are worried.
Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) has already sounded commuters out the possibility of disruption in services. “We will start normal service. However, if there is any safety and security issue to both commuters and metro infrastructure and also as advised by the police, we may have to stop operations. Necessary security arrangements have been made,” a BMRCL statement said.
