Kerala - Palakkad   

Private bus, taxi strike hits life

PALAKKAD: The 12-hour strike by private buses and the indefinite strike by taxi and autorickshaws since Tuesday midnight hit normal life in the district on Wednesday.

Government offices reported thin attendance.

The Private Bus Operators Co-ordination Committee had called for 12-hour strike on Wednesday, from 6 a.m to 6 p.m., in protest against alleged harassment by officials of the Regional Transport Office (RTO) on the issue of installing two doors in buses. They said the officials are unnecessarily harassing bus operators and their staff and levying heavy fine or small lapses.

The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) operated additional services in view of the strike by private bus operators.

Taxis and autorikshaws are on an indefinite strike since Tuesday midnight demanding revision of fares in view of the hike in petroleum prices.

March taken out

Staff Reporter writes from Kasaragod: The indefinite strike by autorickshaw and taxi workers in the State demanding a higher tariff structure in view of the rise in petroleum prices put people to a lot of hardship in the district on Wednesday.

The strike by autorickshaw workers, in particular, affected the people, both in urban and rural areas.

Travellers were the most hit. They found it hard to commute to and from bus stations and railway stations and had to walk considerable distances.

The Joint Agitation Committee, which is spearheading the indefinite agitation, took out marches in Kasaragod and Kanhangad towns in the district.

Strike total

Staff Reporter writes from Kozhikode: The indefinite strike called by various autorickshaw and taxi drivers unions demanding to hike tariffs was total in the district on Wednesday. Passengers were seen stranded at railway stations and bus stations. The unions have also demanded that the authorities install electronic meters free of cost and withdraw users-free. Activists of the Kozhikode City Auto Driver's Coordination Committee took out a march and a protest meeting in the city. Committee joint convener P.M. Gopinathan (AITUC); T.P. Noushad (CITU); K.M. Kuttikrishnan (AITUC); T. Sabhanadan (CITU); Biju Antony (HMS); K. Prakashan (BMS) and K. Mohammed Koya (STU) spoke.

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