Kerala - Kochi   

Private bus strike throws life out of gear in city

Staff Reporter

Work in Government offices affected

TOUGH RIDE: The public was put to great hardship owing to the State-wide strike called by private bus operators. - Photo: H.Vibhu

KOCHI: The indefinite stir called by private bus operators threw life out of gear in the city on Tuesday. With private buses off the roads, commuters had to rely on private vehicles, leaving the roads crowded.

Even though no untoward incident relating to the strike was reported, the clogging of roads gave a tough time for traffic police personnel, said City Police Commissioner P. Vijayan.

The KSRTC operated additional services for commuters in the city. The business community was however affected by the strike. "We are of the opinion that the strike should be ended at the earliest. We have decided to wait for a couple of days to see whether any decision is taken regarding the demands raised by bus operators and will decide on our course of action only after that," said general secretary of Ernakulam Merchants' Union K. Venkitesh Pai.

The working of Government offices was affected due to the strike. Autorickshaws and private carriers had a field day and many operators could be seen plying across the city, with vehicles filled to capacity.

In a release here, the Kerala State Consumer Welfare Organisation called for early settlement of the strike. Instead of causing hardship to the public, bus fare should be increased judiciously taking into consideration the hike in fuel prices. Also, discrepancies in the fare stage should also be corrected, said Mathew Paul, president of the organisation. The Paschima Kochi Passengers' Association has also put forward demands before the Government in the light of the strike.

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