Train services and public transportation remain unaffected
Jamshedpur, April 10 : Nation-wide shutdown as a mark of anti-reservation protests across states had partial impact in the city. Bharat Bandh, called by Dalit groups on April 2, saw widespread instances of violence.
Train services and public transportation remained unaffected. Long distance buses from the Sitaramdera bus terminus left for various destinations but with less number of passengers.
Auto-rickshaws and other mode of public transport including city buses and private buses ran on its scheduled routes but their number was less. Schools, colleges, banks and other business establishments remained opened. Pool cars ferrying school children stayed away from roads fearing untoward incident.
Some shops remained closed in Bistupur, Sakchi and other market areas during the morning hours, later they opened. Incidentally, on Tuesday, shops in Sakchi, Bistupur and elsewhere usually remains open in the morning hours. All shops remain closed in the evening.
A senior functionary of Jharkhand Bus Owners Association Upendra Sharma said, ” The turnout of passengers for various destinations including Ranchi was less today. People avoided travelling because of the bandh call,” said Sharma adding that ticket sale for various destinations registered 40-50 per cent drop.
Police deployment was made at strategic locations to prevent any untowards incident. Highway patrolling was intensified since morning. Jharkhand Armed Police personnel were pressed on the National Highway-33 for patrolling between Dimna Chowk to Barabanki, a stretch of about 12 Kms.
As messages about Bharat Bandh began circulating on WhatsApp, the union home ministry had asked states to be on alert. The call for shutdown, exactly a week after Dalit groups’ country-wide strike and violence, appears to be a protest against caste-based reservation in jobs and education.
The home ministry had also asked states to step up patrolling in volatile and sensitive areas to ensure no lives are lost and no property is damaged, news agency PTI reported on Monday.
In the nation-wide shutdown called by Dalit groups on April 2, nearly a dozen people died in the violence across five states.