Barring a minor incident of stone-throwing which damaged a Chennai-bound bus on 45 Feet Road here, the bandh on Wednesday, called by Opposition parties demanding resignation of Lieutenant Governor Iqbal Singh, was largely peaceful.
A majority of shops and commercial establishments remained closed till evening and arterial roads, including Anna Salai, Maraimalai Adigal Salai and Sardar Patel Salai, wore a deserted look till late afternoon.
Office-goers were most affected as a majority of autorickshaws and private buses, which are vital for transportation in the town, kept off the roads. S. Vaishnavi, a government employee, said that even the autorickshaws that plied on Wednesday charged exorbitant fare owing to demand.
“They said they were taking the risk of driving on a bandh day and demanded almost double the fare,” she said. Most of the movie theatres cancelled shows in the morning and afternoon and opened only after 6 p.m.
According to Superintendent of Police (North) N.T. Sivadasan, government buses were provided police escort to ensure that the bandh had minimum impact on transportation.
The police were on the lookout for two persons who hurled stones at the Chennai-bound government bus on 45 Feet Road, he said.
Though the bandh was called by the Opposition parties, including the AIADMK, the CPI and the CPI (M), no protests were organised as prohibitory orders were in force in the town.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued here, Secretary of the Puducherry unit of the AIADMK A. Anbalagan thanked the traders for their support to the bandh and demanded the resignation of Mr. Singh.
