Transport strike: Garment sector worst affected

BENGALURU: The bus strike by the workers of BMTC, among other transport corporations, since Monday, has crippled the garments industry operations in Bengaluru, according to Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC). The industries, however, can heave a sigh of relief as the unions have withdrawn the strike paving way for smooth operations of transport service.

BCIC president Thyagu Valliappa said that the three-day strike by BMTC and KSTRC everely truncated employee turn-out in industries in and around Bangalore. "The worst affected is the textile and garment sector which is highly labour intensive...Over the last three days, industry production lines are working at sub-optimal levels. This will affect the industry bottomline as it is already reeling under severe margin pressures.”

Valliappa felt that going by the literal crippling of the public transport system in Bangalore due to BMTC and KSTRC strike, the need for a better metro rail system has become more imperative. “If the completion of metro rail project is hastened in Bangalore, which in turn will make public transport more affordable and convenient, more investors would automatically consider to invest in the State,” he said.