Bharat Bandh: APMCs closed, but buses, cabs to run in Mumbai – Times of India

MUMBAI: With key APMC markets closing on Tuesday to support the Bharat Bandh for farmers, fruit and vegetable supply to the city will be impacted. Buses, autos and taxis are expected to ply. Smaller taxi and rickshaw unions, though, joined the strike, which will affect transport in parts of the city, including Kalyan. Retail shops and banks will remain open. Members of the key union, the Maharashtra State Bank Employees Federation, will report to work and support the bandh by wearing badges and holding morchas and demonstrations.
The APMC markets in Vashi and Kalyan will be shut and will be joined by a section of the 315 market yards in the state, along with traders and loaders’ unions. “We have given a call for the closure of state APMCs and expect at least 50-70% of the 315 APMCs to remain closed,” said NCP leader Shashikant Shinde, secretary, Maharashtra Rajya Mathadi Transport and General Kamgar Union.
With transporters’ unions also on strike, supply of essentials could be squeezed. “We join the bandh and suspend our operations. Farmers are our anna-daata,” said Bal Malkit Singh of All India Motor Transport Congress. The transporters’ bandh could also affect the supply of goods to businesses in the city.
Autos, taxis and buses will ply in most parts of the city with bigger unions, including BEST workers’ union, not joining the bandh. Nearly 1.5 lakh autos, 20,000 taxis and 4,500 BEST buses are expected to ply. In Kalyan, the rickshaw union led by Shiv Sena leader Prakash Penkar is supporting the strike as also Shiv Vahtuk Sena that controls autos and taxis mainly in the eastern suburbs.
Banks will function. “We will work but show our solidarity by wearing badges and holding morchas and demonstrations,” said Devidas Tuljapurkar, general secretary of the Maharashtra State Bank Employees’ Federation.
Most retail shops will be open. “If any individual wants to keep a bandh, it’s their call,” said Viren Shah of the FRTWA.
Extra police force of up to 600 constables and nine platoons of SRPF have been deployed in the city. “Forcible closure of establishments will not be allowed. Action will be taken,” police said. Key farmer and trade unions in the state will hold demonstrations at district and tehsil headquarters. People’s movements, women’s groups and student associations are taking part too.
(With inputs by BB Nayak, Pradeep Gupta, Bella Jaisinghani & Mateen Hafeez)