Normal life crippled in Jammu as transporters observe bandh

Normal life was crippled across the Jammu region on Monday as public transport remained off the roads in view of the bandh call given by the transporters demanding hike in passenger fare.

However government had pressed into service the SRTC buses to ply on some of the city routes, people particularly school and college going students, tourists and employees in peripheries were seen covering miles on their feet to reach their respective destinations.

   

Meanwhile, the transporters took to the streets and roads and raised slogans against the Central as well as State governments for their failure in curbing the spiraling prices of the fuel in the Country and raising the passenger fare in Jammu and Kashmir.

A rally joined by vehicle owners, drivers and cleaners started from BC Road towards BikramChowk Jammu and blocked the vehicular movement for about half an hour.

On receiving the information about blockade, a team of police reached the spot and tried to pacify the protesters but failed to break the ice. Later, when senior police officials intervened into the matter, the protest was called off. During the protest, some auto rickshaws were also damaged partially by the agitating transporters leading to exchange of verbal duels between the transporters and auto rickshaw drivers.

Addressing the gathering, SardarTarlochan Singh Wazir, president All Jammu and Kashmir Transporters Association (Jammu) said, “The stalemate between the transporters and government continued even today as no one from government side approached us to listen to our issues.”

“We will chalk out our next strategy regarding extension of strike further within 2-3 days,” he said.

The impact of strike was also witnessed in border districts of Rajouri and Poonch as people were seen covering miles of distance on feet to reach their respective destinations.

In Rajouri, the public transport including the buses, mini-buses, tempo-travelers and passenger vehicles including auto-rickshaws remained off road during the day, thereby affecting normal life badly. The students of educational institutions and patients were the worst affected due to bandh.

In Poonch district, except movement of Tata Sumo vehicles on internal routes of Mendhar, no passenger vehicle plied on rest of the roads as transporters protested against government’s failure to keep a check on rising fuel prices.

Similar protests were witnessed in Kathua, Samba, Reasi, Udhampur, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts of Jammu region.

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