The Hindu Business Line : Bandh hits normal life in Kolkata

Protest against rising food prices: The Esplanade area, a busy commercial centre in central Kolkata, wears a deserted look on Monday. Trinamul Congress and SUCI had called a day-long bandh to protest against the skyrocketing prices of commodities in the country.

Our Bureau

Kolkata, April 21

The 12-hour ‘bandh’ in West Bengal — later scaled down to 10 hours following requests in this regard to facilitate weddings scheduled for Monday — affected normal life in Kolkata.

Most business establishments in the city remained closed and people had an extended weekend.

More than 450 people were arrested from across the State.

Flight operations to and from the city were normal. Rail services, however, were affected.

Some long distance trains were either cancelled or short-terminated before their final destinations. Some EMU local trains were also cancelled.

Flights normal

Officials of Air India and Jet Airways said all flights arrived and departed “as scheduled and as per bookings”. Jet Airways’ flights to Mumbai were fully booked as those who came to watch the Indian Premier League match at the Eden Gardens on Sunday went back to Mumbai. “Since most flights are scheduled for early morning departures and in the evenings, flight operations were not affected due to the bandh,” said an official of Air India.

Mr Shyamal Chakraborty, State President of CITU, said industrial activity in the State was not affected by the bandh. Tea gardens in North Bengal functioned normally even as life in rural Bengal was not affected by the bandh.

Trinamool Congress leader Ms Mamata Banerjee, who had given the bandh call, said it was a “success” and people’s support was “spontaneous”.

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