Public transport in the State has been hit for the second consecutive day with buses of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) remaining off the road and trains running late by one to two hours due to the nationwide general strike by national convention of workers.
The entire fleet of 14,500 private stage carriers in the State did not ply on Wednesday. Autorickshaws and taxis also kept off the road.
In Thiruvananthapuram central, the agitators blocked the Venad Express at 5 a.m. The agitators also picketed trains at the Chirayinkil, Kollam, Kayamkulam, Kottayam, Ernakulam Town, Kalamaserry, Irinjalakuda, Thrissur and Guruvayur railway stations affecting the smooth movement of mail and express trains.
In Palakkad railway division, the strike supporters picketed trains at Payannur, Kannur, Palakkad, Thalassery, Shoranur, Parapangady and Nilambur. The Coimbatore-Mangalore Fast Passenger was held up at Palakkad for 82 minutes.
Divisional Railway Manager, Thiruvananthapuram, Shirish Kumar Sinha said 12 trains were affected on Wednesday.
₹6 crore daily loss
Only the chain services of the KSRTC in the Nilackal-Pampa-Nilackal corridor for Sabarimala pilgrims and special services from various units to Pampa operated on Wednesday. The KSRTC has suffered a daily loss of ₹6 crore.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) registered 11 criminal cases in Thiruvananthapuram railway division and eight in adjoining Palakkad division under various Sections of the Indian Railways Act against the agitators who blocked trains. Former CPI(M) legislator V. Sivankutty was booked for obstructing trains in Thiruvananthapuram Central.
