Bandh affects life partially in West Bengal

Kolkata, April 30: Normal life was partially affected in West Bengal on Thursday following a state-wide 12-hour general strike called by Left Parties and trade unions, with the BJP also calling a 10-hour bandh to protest against alleged violence by ruling Trinamool Congress in the recent civic polls.

Train services on the Eastern and South Eastern railway were normal although Eastern railway officials here said that suburban services in the Sealdah south section were hit for sometime in the morning due to blockades at some stations.

Metro Rail services were operating normally, Metro officials said. Shops, markets and business establishments at some areas remained closed. State administration was plying a large fleet of public buses while private buses and taxis were also seen on the streets though their number was less compared to other working days.

Airport officials here said that flights of Air India and other airlines operated normally to and from N S C Bose International Airport. They, however, said that passengers at the airport faced inconvenience due to inadequate number of taxis at the airport.

A senior Kolkata Police official said, "Although buses are plying the number of passengers was less." One state-run bus was damaged at College Street in north Kolkata and another at Golabari in Howrah district, police said.

At least 56 people have been arrested from Burdwan, Jalpaiguri and North 24 Parganas districts for trying to enforce the bandh, police officials in the districts said.

Mamata Banerjee had asked people not to support the bandh

According to a report received from Jalpaiguri, 20 people including the CPI(M)'s district secretary Salil Acharya were arrested for picketing at the North Bengal State Transport Corporation bus stand.

The police lifted pickets put up by bandh supporters at the Head Post Office at Jalpaiguri town in North Bengal and at Panihati in North 24 Parganas.

A Burdwan report said CPI(M) and ruling TMC members clashed at Asansol in Burdwan district where 11 CPI(M) workers were arrested from two areas of the industrial belt.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said yesterday that the state government would take all steps to ensure normal life and urged people not to support the bandh.

PTI