Normal life was affected in left-ruled Kerala, with the public transport services keeping off the roads and banking services hit as the 24 hour nation-wide labour union strike was total in the state on Wednesday.
Roads across the state wore a deserted look as Kerala State Transport Corporation (KSRTC), private buses, auto- rickshaws and taxis stayed away but a few private vehicles were seen plying.
Schools and colleges had declared a holiday for today and three major universities in the state had postponed all the examinations.
Shops, hotels and other business establishments were also shut across the state despite the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi, an organisation of traders, stating that they would remain open.
However, medical shops were seen open at all major towns.
As Sabarimala pilgrims have been exempted from the strike, KSRTC buses are taking Ayyappa devotees to Pamba.
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The pilgrimage was not affected and the hilltop shrine of Lord Ayyappa has been witnessing heavy rush.
With trade unions of the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and opposition Congress-headed UDF participating in the strike, most of the government staff did not turn up at the Secretariat here.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other ministers also did not attend office.
The weekly state cabinet meeting scheduled for Wednesday was held on Tuesday.
Banking operations also took a hit as most of the PSU bank branches remained shut.
A majority of the 1200 banks of the State Bank of India (SBI) in Kerala are shut, banking sources said.
Some bank branches which were open, at Kollam and Thiruvalla were forcefully shut by the striking unions.
A Kochi report said the functioning of the public sector Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) refinery has not been affected although non-management staff are on strike, a BPCL spokesman said.
Plant is running normal using available staff, he said.
However, the strike has partially affected the functioning of the Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL).
More than 80 per cent of the officers and supervisors have joined duty at the Shipyard but the attendance of workmen is only 20 per cent, a CSL official said.
Operations of Kochi port were not affected as around 57 per cent staff reported for work, sources said.
The Kochi Metro Rail services also functioned normally despite the strike.
Railway sources said train services were unaffected by the strike called by various trade unions and there were no protests at railway stations.
However, passengers who reached the railway station here this morning had a tough time getting vehicles.
Police vehicles were arranged to take patients coming for treatment at the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), Medical College Hospital and Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences.
"This strike is against the anti-labour policies of the centre.
Most of the state government staff in Kerala are participating in this protest," Binu Baburaj, a government servant, participating in the strike at Thiruvananthapuram said.
Ashraf, a 40-year-old man who reached the capital city for some personal work he was facing difficulty in finding eateries as the hotels and restaurants remaining shut.
The striking organisations have, however, arranged food for the protesters here.
The trade unions have taken out massive protest rallies at all major towns in the state.
Ten trade unions, including INTUC, AITUC, and CITU have called for the nationwide strike to protest against labour reforms, FDI, disinvestment, corporatisation and privatisation policies and to press for a 12-point common demands of the working class relating to minimum wage among others.
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