Second day of bandh disrupts normal life in Telangana

Normal life in Telangana region continued to be affected on Wednesday, the second day of the 48-hour band called by the Telangana Political Joint Action Committee as part of its agitation for separate statehood.

While the bandh evoked a mixed response in Hyderabad, the other nine districts saw schools, colleges, business, financial and commercial establishments including petrol pumps and banks remain closed.

However, a majority of the shops in Hyderabad were open for business while public transport Hyderabad and other modes of transportation were badly hit.

The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation had already announced suspension of its services as a precautionary measure, leaving commuters facing a tough time in reaching their destinations. The South Central Railways had also announced suspension of the MMTS services. The MMTS services are expected to resume normal services by 6 PM. The APSRTC authorities have said that they would resume normal services by the evening after consultations with the police department.

The bandh call saw auto-rickshaw drivers charging commuters at their whim.

Attendance at government and at many private firms was reported to be thin.

The second day of the bandh was as peaceful as the first, with clashes between police and protestors being reported from the Osmania University.