Transporters' strike evokes partial response in Telangana, Andhra

The nation-wide strike by transporters to protest against the Centre's new bill on road safety and transport evoked partial response in Telanga and Andhra Pradesh on Thursday.

The transport services were partially affected in Hyderabad as a section of auto rickshaws, cabs and trucks remained off the roads.

With major employees' union in state-owned Road Transport Corporation (RTC) not participating in the stir, the public transport was not impacted by the strike in both Telugu states.

Bus services in all cities and towns were operating as usual, RTC officials said.

A section of the employees staged protest outside the RTC depots in both the states. Wearing black badges, they raised slogans against the bill.

Some unions of auto drivers organised a rally here to protest what they called anti-workers measures proposed in the bill.

The rally was taken out from Bagh Lingampally to Indira Park, denouncing the policies of the central government.

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) staged a protest at RTC Cross Roads, opposing the proposed hefty increase in the penalties even for minor traffic violations.

All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) and other trade unions also staged protests.

The strike call had no impact in Karimnagar, Nizamabad and other towns in Telangana as auto rickshaws and taxis plied as usual.

There was little impact in Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Tirupati and other cities in Andhra Pradesh as the strike call evoked partial response.