Workers, tourists suffer as Jammu observes complete bandh

Amit Khajuria

Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 24

Common man, including labourers, roadside traders, private company employees, tourists and pilgrims coming from all over the country for paying obeisance at the Vaishno Devi shrine, today faced inconvenience due to Jammu bandh.

The bandh, called by different organisations in Jammu, was complete. It adversely affected the common man, who has to go out to earn livelihood. Patients, hostel students, tourists, pilgrims, labourers and rehriwalas were worst affected by the bandh today.

“I had to reach a hospital at Shalamar from Janipur as my wife has been admitted there, but there was no means of transport available. I had to go on foot, which took me about two hours to reach the hospital,” said Ramesh Kumar, a resident of Janipur.

Tourists were wandering here and there for transport and due to limited transport they were forced to travel in overloaded buses. These tourists have nothing to do with the cause of the bandh. They only know that the bandh spoiled their trip to Jammu.

“A bandh call might be giving some political mileage to some political parties and their leaders, but it always affects the common man,” said Sanjay Dhar, a social activist.

“Can they (who called for the bandh) compensate the people who couldn’t earn anything because of the strike? If they actually want a bandh to protest against the government, there should be an appeal for the bandh and it should not be imposed forcefully,” he added.

Tourists and pilgrims were seen walking on the road carrying their bags on their shoulders to reach their destinations. There was hardly any passenger vehicle on the road and only a few dhabas were open near the bus stand and railway station.