Normal life in the city and most parts of the state was affected today thanks to the Karnataka bandh that has been declared by regional bodies, to protest against the Supreme Court’s direction to release water from the Cauvery river to Tamil Nadu.
Some protesters tried to enter the departure terminal of the Kempegowda International Airport and the railway station in Bengaluru but were stopped and detained by the police.
Transport services have been hit in the state’s capital with government buses staying off the roads while auto-rickshaw and cab unions have extended their support to the bandh. Metro services in the country’s IT hub have also been halted.
People who reached Bengaluru from distant places and those travelling towards the airport complained of difficulties in reaching their destination given there were no modes of public transport available.
Educational institutions in Bengaluru declared a holiday and attendance at government offices was low as employees were informed that it wouldn’t be “compulsory” for them to work today. While some private companies declared a holiday, others made alternate arrangements for employees to “work from home”.
Petrol pumps, hotels, malls and other commercial establishments remained shut, and banks services were also hit.
The Karnataka Cable Operators Association which is supporting the strike has said Tamil TV channels will not be aired.
The bandh has been supported by groups in various parts of the state including Mandya, Mysuru, Ballari, Koppala, Chikkaballapura, Dharwad and Kolar.
In Mandya, the epicentre of the Cauvery protests, agitators blocked the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway at several places.
Some farmers in the district staged a protest by venturing into the river carrying stones on their head. In Ballari, three lorries that had Tamil Nadu registrations were attacked by protesters.