Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Poor response to motor bandh

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The dawn-to-dusk vehicle bandh called by the joint action council of motor employees on Sunday to protest against the increase in prices of petrol and diesel had no impact in the city and its suburbs.

Though private buses and lorries stayed away from the roads, autorickshaws and taxis plied as usual despite stray attempts by bandh supporters to dissuade drivers from taking out their vehicles.

It being a Sunday, most families preferred not to venture out in the morning. A few cars even had words such as “hospital” and “airport” pasted on the windscreen, fearing violence. But by noon, when it became clear that the bandh was peaceful, private vehicles were out on the roads.

Commuters were hardly affected by the absence of private buses. Construction labourers and others who work on Sundays depended on Kerala State Road Transport Corporation buses to reach their destination. Most buses of the corporation on the road were running full in the morning. The bandh affected the turnout of devotees at the Attukal temple in the morning. Temple trust authorities said there was a dip in the number of devotees who usually turned up on a Sunday morning during the Pongala festival. They attributed it to the absence of private bus services.

Members of the joint action council took out a protest march. Workers of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions, Indian National Trade Union Congress, All India Trade Union Congress, United Trade Union Centre, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, Swathanthra Thozhilali Union and All India Centre of Trade Unions participated in the march.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

AIE to operate 11 non-stop flights to Gulf countries
Amendments to town planning Act mooted
K. Govinda Pillai dead
Drop hartal plan, UDF told
New hospital
A novel experience for schoolchildren
VS’ convoy disrupted
Poor response to motor bandh
Control room opened
Aircraft maintenance base work from March 1
University centre at Karyavattom burgled
Demystifying the art of diplomacy
In Thiruvananthapuram Today

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu