The 24-hour transport strike called by the CPI(M)’s labour arm Citu to protest against the hike in petroleum prices, turned into a virtual Bangla bandh on Saturday.
As all modes of public transport, buses, minibuses, taxis, trams and autorickhaws, remained off the roads, common people had a harrowing time in reaching their d
estinations. “The strike was called to lodge a strong protest against the anti-people policies of the UPA 2. I thank the people for their overwhelming response. Even in Kerala and Tripura the strikes were total,” Citu chief Shyamal Chakraborty said.
Long queues at bus stops were a common sight. Those who arrived by trains at the Howrah and Sealdah railway stations and the Kolkata Airport were worst-affected. A handful of taxis available there demanded exorbitant fares from the stranded passengers. Even family members of political leaders had to face the ordeal. The wife and children of Congress MLA from Farakka, Moinul Haque, were in for a rude surprise when they arrived at Sealdah by the Gaur Express in the morning. “When we boarded the train on Friday night we had no inkling about a transport strike today. There are no taxis and no buses,” an irate Mrs Swati Haque said. She called her MLA husband to arrange for a private car. “I will tell my husband that strike is no solution to any problem. All political parties should realise that calling strikes at the drop of a hat causes enormous hardships to the people,” she added.
The plight of Haroon Rashid, a heart patient from Bangladesh, was even worse. The resident of Chittagong arrived at Dum Dum airport from Bengaluru where he had gone for treatment. He was planning to return to Bangladesh on Saturday “Now, we will have to cool our heels in Kolkata for at least two days,” Mr Rashid said.
Some paid hefty fares to private vehicles, others had to walk to their places of work. Unlike on Bangla bandhs, a large number of people came out of their homes refusing to allow the transport strike to disrupt their normal life and routine. But in the absence of buses, autos and taxis, they had a tough time. According to Swarnakamal Saha, president of the Bengal Bus Syndicate that runs nearly 7,500 buses daily, only a handful buses were on the roads on Saturday.