Shops on J.N. Street remain closed due to a bandh called by the INDIA bloc parties against the power tariff hike in Puducherry, on Wednesday, September 18, 2024
| Photo Credit: S.S. Kumar

The 12-hour bandh called by the INDIA bloc parties in Puducherry in protest against the alleged failure of the AINRC-BJP government to prevent the frequent hike in power tariff in the Union Territory brought normal life to a standstill on Wednesday (September 18, 2024).

Most shops and business establishments remained shut on the Jawaharlal Nehru Street, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Kamaraj Salai, Anna Salai, Mission Street, Bussy Street, S.V. Patel Salai, Reddiyarpalayam, Mudaliarpet, and Muthialpet. The response to the bandh was more or less the same in the suburban areas of Villianur and Ariankuppam. However, small shops in residential areas remained open.

The main market on the J.N. Street and Uzhavar Santhais (farmers’ market) remained shut. Educational institutions, including government schools, Pondicherry University, and Pondicherry Technological University, functioned, albeit with fewer students.

Buses owned by the PRTC and Tamil Nadu government function with police protection amid the bandh
| Photo Credit:
S.S. Kumar

The Education Department had suspended classes for students of 1 to 8 standards in government and private schools. Though no reason was cited for suspending classes, an official said the decision was taken considering the difficulties the students may face due to disruption in the public transport system.

Some of the buses owned by the Pondicherry Road Transport Corporation and the Tamil Nadu government operated with police escort. Auto-rickshaws and share autos also kept off the road. Private cars and two-wheelers, meanwhile, plied without any hindrance.

Leaders face arrest

Leaders and workers belonging to the Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), and Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (CPI(ML)) were arrested while staging a road roko near the Venkata Subba Reddiyar Statue.

INDIA bloc leaders and workers stage a protest near Venkata Subba Reddiyar Statue
| Photo Credit:
S.S. Kumar

Those who were arrested included former Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy, MP V. Vaithilingam, former Minister M. Kandasamy, Opposition leader R. Siva, former Minister S.P. Sivakumar, CPI secretary A.M. Saleem, and CPI (M) secretary R. Rajangam. They were later released.