CM skips office, bandh near-total in Kerala

January 08, 2020 12:34

The day-long strike called by central trade unions was near total in Left-ruled Kerala on Wednesday, with vehicles, including state-owned KSRTC and private buses keeping off the roads. In the state capital, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) did not operate city and long distance services. Very few private vehicles and autorickshaws were seen plying on roads. As Sabarimala pilgrims have been exempted from the strike, KSRTC buses are taking Ayyappa devotees to Pamba.

With trade unions of the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and opposition Congress-headed UDF participating in the strike, most of the staff did not turn up at the Secretariat.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other ministers also did not attend office. The weekly state cabinet meeting scheduled for Wednesday had been held a day earlier.

Police have made arrangements to ensure that there are no untoward incidents and 160 police pickets have been set up at various junctions in the city. Railway sources said train services were unaffected by the strike called by various trade unions and there were no protests at railway stations. However, passengers who reached the railway station here this morning had a tough time getting vehicles.

Image: In Punjab, protesters block a railway track in Amritsar during the all-India trade union strike. Pic: ANI

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