Bharat Bandh highlights: Delhi, Mumbai remain largely unaffected by strike

Barring banking services being hit, it was business as usual in Telangana despite the nationwide strike called by various trade unions protesting the Centre's 'anti-people' policies.

Most of the shops and business establishments were open while transport services remained unaffected.

The strike by as many as three lakh employees and workers passed off peacefully with the participation of members of various trade unions in the state, senior leader of Telangana CPI, Sudhakar said.

Representatives of various unions held dharna at Dharna Chowk near Indira Park. (PTI)

TMC cadres, police indulged in arson in Malda during trade unions' strike and blamed the Left cadres, CPI(M) leader Mohammed Salim said, according to News18. He alleged that the violence was instigated by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Production at Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India's (HMSI) Manesar plant in Haryana, Bajaj Auto's Chakan unit and factories of various auto component makers was hit on Wednesday by the day-long strike called by 10 major trade unions against the Centre's "anti-people" policies.

The strike, however, had no impact on production of auto majors Maruti Suzuki India, Hero MotoCorp, Honda Cars India, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors and Hyundai Motors India as their plants in various parts of the country functioned normally.

"Workers in all the three shifts at the Manesar plant are not working today in support of the trade union strike," HMSI Employee Union President Suresh Gaur said. (PTI)

The nationwide strike seems to have failed to evoke much response in Maharashtra till Wednesday afternoon with transport and banking services remaining largely unaffected in many districts as well as in the country's financial capital.

No untoward incident was reported so far from any region of the state.

Suburban trains, which are called as the "lifeline of Mumbai" with a ridership of more than 75 lakh commuters per day, public buses, taxis andautorickshawsare running normally in the island city and suburbs. (PTI)

Trade unions held protests in Shimla and other parts of Himachal Pradesh despite heavy snowfall and rain, News18 has reported. According to the news channel, in Shimla, trade unions led by CITU State President Vijendra Mehra held protest at Panchayat Bhawan. They raised slogans against the central government. CPM MLA Rakesh Singha and Mehra also addressed the gathering on the occasion.

The national capital largely remained unaffected by the nation-wide strike called by trade unions on Wednesday, though most industrial workers stayed away from work.​

Metro and the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) services functioned normally despite the strike call.

Officials said no trains have been affected in the national capital, but some Delhi-bound trains fromOdishaand West Bengal could be affected.

175 local trains cancelled due to blockades by bandh supporters in Kolkata

Train services were disrupted in the suburbs and neighbouring districts of Kolkata by supporters of a nationwide general strike called by 10 trade unions on Wednesday, Railway officials told news agency PTI.

At least 175 local trains were cancelled in the Sealdah and Howrah divisions of Eastern Railway (ER) owing to the blockades put up by supporters of the strike, its spokesman said.

In the Howrah-Kharagpur section of South Eastern Railway, there were blockades at some places for durations from 10 minutes to half an hour, but no train was cancelled, its spokesman Sanjoy Ghosh said.

About 15 lakh power sector employees and engineers across the country went on strike on Wednesday in support of 'Bharat Bandh' call given by 10 central trade unions.

Power sector employees are protesting against the Centre's proposed amendments to the Electricity Act as well as other privatisation policies of the government, which they say are against the interest of the consumers and employees. (PTI)

Protests have reportedly turned violent in West Bengal's Malda district. Police vehicles have been set on fire, CNN News18 is reporting.

Police has fires tear gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse protestors. NH 34 has been closed.

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 trade union strike was total in the state on the day.
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. (PTI)

The countrywide strike by trade unions evoked little response in Uttarakhand even as their affiliates staged a dharna at the inter-state bus terminal in Dehradun. (PTI)

We have nothing to do with the strike. Our members and everyone is at work as usual. Films and TV are 100% on smoothly without any hindrance: BN Tiwari, president of The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) to PTI.