In the biggest protest, the employees of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) called for a day-long shutdown on Saturday, October 19,demanding regularision of the ride-hailing market.The strike affected the transport services across Hyderabad and 32 other districts of the state.
More than 50,000 cabs throughout the state are also off-road as Ola and Uber cab drivers have also joined the transport strike.
The 12-hour bandh started early morning at 5 am amid heightened security at most bus depots. Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station, the biggest bus station in Hyderabad wore a near-deserted look as there were no buses running to any destination in Telangana and neighbouring states.
This was the first major and state-wide shutdown in six years against CM Chandrashekhar Rao. Employees along with trade unions, teachers and workers took to streets to protest what they call ‘dictatorial’ attitude of CM K Chandrashekhar Rao.
While shops and business establishments were opened as usual and private vehicles running, the public transport services came to a halt ,creating inconvenience to commuters.
Adding to the woes of the commuters in Hyderabad, the Ola and Uber cab drivers also went on an indefinite strike from Saturday to press for their demands to regularise the cab aggregator market. As claimed by the drivers association more than 50,000 cabs have gone off the roads but some cabs still seen plying.
