No end in sight: Transport strike brings more cars on to roads

BENGALURU: Private vehicles were forced to take the roads on Monday as the strike by Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation was total in the city. The strike is expected to continue on Tuesday as the deadlock between the transport unions and the government continued.

Transport minister Ramalinga Reddy reiterated the government's stand that transport unions should first call off the strike before any talks. With the unions sticking to their demand for a 35% wage hike among other demands, there was no meeting point.

All educational institutions were declared closed on Tuesday as well.

With public buses off the roads, commuters resorted to private modes of transport resulting in traffic jams that were reported during peak hours at Hoodi circle towards Mahadevapura, Yemlur junction, Marathahalli bridge, Old Airport Road (OAR), Vellara Junction, Gandhinagar, Electronics City and Mysuru Road.

Transport officials said the four state-run transport corporations incurred a total loss of Rs 17 crore, with operational losses pegged at . 5 crore.` Four BMTC buses were damaged by unidentified miscreants.Across the state, stone-pelting damaged as many as 82 KSRTC buses, costing the corporation Rs 8.5 lakh.Totally, 142 buses were damaged, leading to a loss of Rs 14.6 lakh, officials said.

Cracking down on auto rickshaw drivers taking advantage of the strike, the traffic police booked 1,972 cases against those who demanded excess fare.

As many as 158 rickshaws were seized during special drives, the police said.