Photo courtesy: ANI
New Delhi: The BJP has called for a 6 am to 6 pm bandh in West Bengal on Wednesday (today) to protest against the police action on those who took part in the march to the state secretariat ‘Nabbana’ over the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor in Kolkata.
Major airlines issued alerts on transport and traffic disruptions asking passengers to monitor road conditions and their flight status
Vistara, IndiGo and SpiceJet sent out travel advisories alerting passengers about possible local transport issues, road blockages, diversions, traffic congestion and slow vehicle movement en route to the Kolkata airport. They also asked people to plan travel well in advance and track flight status to stay updated on the developments during the bandh.
While the Kolkata Traffic Police issued a notification in connection with the ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ rally along with updates on August 25, there were no such advisories for the ‘Bengal Bandh’ on its social media handle on X.
Daily life was somewhat affected in Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal due to the shutdown. In Kolkata, the usual busyness on the roads on a weekday morning was missing with fewer buses, auto-rickshaws and taxis plying. Private vehicles were also significantly less in number, even as markets and shops remained open as usual. Schools and colleges remained open, while in most private offices, attendance was lower with employees being asked to work from home, News18 reported.
Local train services were hit on the Bangaon-Sealdah railway line, which is one of the busiest rail routes connecting Kolkata and its suburbs, as BJP karyakartas staged a blockade. But, they are now being reinstated after TMC workers protested against the bandh call, the report added.
The BJP workers also staged a blockade at the Barasat Dakshin railway station on the Sealdah line as well as on Tala Bridge, which is part of the Kolkata Circular railway. There were also demonstrations at Gocharan station in South 24 Parganas and the Murshidabad station in support of the bandh.
According to the report, there was palpable tension at the Barrackpore station in North 24 Parganas as BJP supporters and TMC workers came face to face. BJP workers blocked the way of a local train in Hooghly station. The Eastern Railway said there were a total of 49 blockades at major train sections like Krishnanagar, Ranaghat, Diamond Harbour, Naihati, Shantipur and Kalyani.
Meanwhile, in Kolkata, doctors are holding a protest march at 2 pm from Shyambazar to Dharmatala. The West Bengal government, which has urged people not to respond to the BJP’s general strike, issued a notification saying all government offices will remain open and all employees, except those facing exigencies or are on leave, will have to report for duty or face show-cause for their unauthorised absence.
“The government will not allow any bandh on Wednesday. We urge people not to participate in it. All steps shall be taken to ensure that normal life is unaffected,” said Alapan Bandopadhyay, the chief adviser to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
At Nandigram in Purba Medinipur district, BJP activists picketed on the road, disrupting traffic. In Maldah, activists of the TMC and BJP engaged in a brawl over the blocking of a road. Police swung into action to disperse the warring groups.
BJP activists demonstrated at the Bankura town bus stand. In Alipurduar, BJP activists engaged in a scuffle with the police as they tried to block an arterial road, shouting slogans such as ‘Dafa ek dabi ek, mukhyomantrir padatyag’ (single demand, the chief minister must resign).
Drivers of government buses in Howrah were spotted wearing helmets. They said they were wearing them for their safety. Bus drivers of the North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) were also wearing helmets in Cooch Behar and Uttar Dinajpur.
Security cover was increased in Kolkata with a message from the ADG (law and order) to senior officers for the bandh asking for sufficient police presence, including women personnel.
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