The Hindu Business Line : Bandh partial in Bengal

The bandh in West Bengal was described as "near normal" by the Government even as life in Kolkata was affected with few private cars and buses taking to the roads. Government-owned buses and trams plied. One person died in Raiganj in West Dinajpur district and 2,400 people were arrested from across the State.

The 12-hour bandh had been called by the opposition Trinamool Congress to protest against the acquisition of farmland for the Tata small car project, alleged police atrocities on party supporters and curbing of democratic rights of opposition parties by the State Government.

Full Attendance

While few people and cars were seen on the roads of Kolkata, in Sector V of the Salt Lake Electronics Complex, which is the hub of all IT activity in the State, it was business as usual. Call centres reported full attendance with employees being picked up from their homes early in the morning.

Both Indian and Jet Airways operated all flights on schedule, the advantage in Kolkata being that most flights depart early in the mornings and in the evenings. Airline sources said most passengers arrived at the airport long before their respective flights were scheduled to depart. Since the bandh call was given just on Thursday, many passengers had no time to alter their travel schedules.

Train services in both Eastern Railway (ER) and South Eastern Railway zones remained largely unaffected by the bandh barring a few hold-ups in the ER system. The Metro Railway services also ran smoothly during the day though the usual crowd during peak hours in the morning was absent. Services in the Howrah, Sealdah and Suburban division of ER remained normal barring a few obstructions caused by the throwing of banana leaves on overhead wires leading to disruption in power supply.

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