CHANDIGARH: The nationwide strike call issued by some trade unions evoked a mixed response in Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh on Thursday.

The commuters in Chandigarh had a harrowing time as the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) buses virtually went off the roads as employees joined the strike. The CTU authorities suspended local as well as inter-State services to neighbouring towns in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab; and to Delhi, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir as well.

The power and water supply generally remained normal due to preventive steps taken by the Chandigarh Administration. However, the safai karamcharis of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation failed to turn up for duty. While the nationalised banks were shut, the private banks did business as usual. Work in the Post Offices and Central Government offices was affected as the employees joined the strike.

Even though reports reaching the State Headquarters said that there was tension in Gurgaon, near New Delhi, as activists of trade unions allegedly tried to force closure of factories, clashed with policemen and tried to block the national highway, an official spokesman of the Haryana Government said in Chandigarh that the Bharat Bandh call had `no effect' in Gurgaon. He further claimed that all the markets, Government departments, private institutions and schools and colleges functioned normally during the day. The law and order situation in the district was under control and the work proceeded at normal pace.

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