Monday’s Bharat bandh may disrupt public transport in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: The nation-wide Bharat Bandh on Monday (September 10) to protest against spiralling fuel prices is expected to disrupt commuting within Bengaluru and other parts of the state as various transport associations have decided to join the strike.
The bandh called by the Congress and opposition parties over the rising fuel prices is expected to disrupt normal life in the Congress-JD(S) ruled state.
Services by all state-run transport corporations – BMTC, KSRTC, NWKRTC and NEKRTC – may be affected as the major trade union, AITUC-backed KSRTC Staff and Workers Federation have extended the support to the Bandh.
Ananth Subbarao, general secretary of the federation, said they have decided to join the protest as the skyrocketing fuel prices have affected transport services. However, BMTC and KSRTC officials maintained that they will operate their buses after assessing the situation on the bandh day.
However, Namma Metro and train services will be operated as usual.
The cab drivers’ associations are divided over the bandh. Tanveer Pasha, president, Karnataka Taxi Owners' Federation, said drivers of app-based aggregators will participate in the strike. “We will also stage a protest near Town Hall on Monday against the rise in the fuel prices”.
"The rise in fuel prices is making a huge impact on the transport industry. But we will not participate in the strike as we are not in a position to take a sudden decision without consulting all associations and MNC vendors," said K Radhakrishna Holla, president, Bangalore Tourist Taxi Operators' Association. He said airport taxis will operate as usual.
A majority of the autorickshaw unions in the city are yet to take any decision. Auto Rickshaw Drivers Union (ARDU) and Adarsh Autorickshaw and Taxi Drivers Union said they will take a decision on Saturday. Channa Reddy, president, Federation of Karnataka Lorry Owners said they will extend their moral support for the strike but have not taken a decision whether to participate in it.
The bandh has prompted some city schools to postpone their exams slated to be held on September 10. The school associations said they will be taking a decision by Saturday, depending upon the situation.