Complete bandh in rural Majha

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 16

The “Bharat Bandh” call, given by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and Left-affiliated trade unions today, got a good response in rural areas in the Majha region. However, in the urban area, it evoked a mixed response.

Worst-hit areas

• A complete bandh was observed in Gurdaspur city
• The Gurdaspur-Batala road remained shut for 4 hours
• Chemists were allowed to open their shops
• In Batala, shops were open throughout the day
• In Tarn Taran, the bandh put normal life out of gear

Though the train service remained unaffected in the region, private and the government buses remained off roads, leading to passengers’ inconvenience.

In Amritsar, local unit leaders of the SKM held a dharna on the national highway at Attari and Bhandari bridge. They criticised the Central Government’s stubborn attitude against the farm and labour community while favouring the corporate sector.

Students taking CBSE and PSEB boards exams today did not face any inconvenience. In urban centres, the impact of the bandh call was mixed as schools and colleges were open, while in rural areas, the connectivity was affected but the students taking exams managed to reach the examination centre well in time.

The students commuting to GNDU and colleges in the city from rural areas faced commuting problems as all public transport services, including buses, private van operators and autos, remained suspended.

The bandh call’s sharp response was noticed around Golden Temple in Hall Bazaar. The wholesale textile markets at Katra Ahluwalia and Shastri market, along with the Guru Bazar jewellery market wore a deserted look.

In urban pockets, the commercial establishments were open as usual.

Work in grain markets remained suspended as the arhtiya associations backed the bandh call. A complete bandh was observed in Gurdaspur city while everything functioned normally in Batala city, 35 km away. Both cities form part of Gurdaspur revenue district. Only chemist shops and vegetable vendors were allowed to open their shops by trade union.

However, the Gurdaspur-Batala highway remained closed for four hours as leaders held a protest at Babri, 5 km from Gurdaspur city on the Batala highway.

In Batala, everything functioned normally. Shops remained open throughout the day. Road transport, including government buses, was affected in both Gurdaspur and Batala cities. The rush at the local bus stand was not that much.

Meanwhile, in Pathankot city, everything was normal and shops remained open throughout the day. Like Batala, here too, the union leaders did not force anybody to close their shops.

In Tarn Taran, the bandh call had put normal life out of gear. Shops and other commercial establishments remained non-operational. Similarly, there was a total bandh in Patti, Bhikhiwind, Khalra , Khemkaran, Harike, Chohla Sahib, Khadoor Sahib and other parts of the district.

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Tribune News Service

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