Thaindian News

Kolkata, April 27 (IANS) Flight and train services were thrown off gear and vehicles did not ply as life in West Bengal came to a grinding halt Tuesday, following the 12-hour strike called by 13 political parties, including the Left parties, against price rise and corruption.
The streets in Kolkata and district towns were deserted, as people chose to remain indoors or were forced to do so in the absence of public transport. Shops, markets, offices and business establishments remained closed.

Examinations scheduled for the day in universities, schools and colleges were cancelled in advance, and they were shut.

At the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, not a single flight took off or landed since the strike started at 6 a.m., airport sources said.

Various airlines, including Kingfisher, have cancelled or rescheduled their flights in view of the strike.

However, some air passengers who flew in a little before the start of the strike were stranded as there was no taxi or bus to take them to their destination.

“I arrived early at 4.30 a.m. but could not get a confirmed ticket as there was a heavy rush of passengers for early morning flights before the strike started. Now I have got a confirmed ticket for an evening flight. But I have to spend the entire day at the airport as there are no vehicles on the road. Worst still, the doors of the toilet at the airport have also been locked,” said a middle aged man.

A foreigner also expressed his disgust at the situation. “I am now stuck at the airport. It is amazing that in India in 2010, such things can happen and even the toilets at the airport can be locked.”

Train services were disrupted as the strike supporters squatted on the railway tracks at various stations.

A South Eastern Railway spokesman said Yashwantpur Express and Kolhapur Express were among the long-distance trains stranded at various stations due to railway blockades.

In the absence of vehicular traffic, rickshaw pullers made a killing as they charged exorbitant amounts for ferrying passengers stranded at railway stations. A rickshaw ride from Howrah to Sealdah cost Rs.300, while those travelling from Sealdah to Park Circus had to fork out Rs.400.

There was no work in most of the jute mills and factories, with the pro-strike workers picketing before the gates.

An officer manning the state police control room said there were no reports of any untoward incidents.