Thousands of buses operated by Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation went off the road across the state including capital Bangalore from early hours this morning as part of the state-wide indefinite strike launched by employees of transport corporations.
The strike has affected office goers, school and college students and general commuters as thousands of them were stranded at several bus stations in Bangalore city from early morning on Thursday. Many office goers had to depend on their personal means of transport, autorikshaws and private buses. The state government has, however, banned operation of private buses in Bangalore city.
The employees of all state transport corporations have launched an indefinite strike pressing for implementation of their demands including pay revision and regularisation of around 33,000 trainee employees working with the four road transport corporations in the state.
As a result of the statewide strike as many as 6,200 BMTC buses and 8,000 buses of KSRTC have gone off the roads.
The stir began several hours ahead of schedule on Wednesday late evening onwards causing immense disruption of transport services and many officer goers and commuters who arrived late evening in Bangalore city had to wait for hours at Majestic bus stand and other satellite bus terminals in Bangalore city.
The strike has already taken an ugly turn by 9 am this morning as miscreants pelted stones on several KSRTC buses in the city. As a precautionary measure, the police have arrested 20 persons in Bangalore.
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The bus passengers and city commuters were hit in several other cities like KGF, Raichur, Gulbarga, Kolar, Chikmagalur among others.
Meanwhile, the education department has not declared holiday for schools and colleges across the state and has left the decision to declare holiday to the managements of schools and colleges.