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Tuesday's Bharat bandh won’t hit essential services in Mumbai

While the rest of India is expected to join the Bharat bandh call on Tuesday, Mumbai’s public transport is expected to run as usual, but with caution.

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While the rest of India is expected to join the Bharat bandh call on Tuesday, the city’s public transport is expected to run as usual, but with caution.

Reason: Shiv Sena is supporting the strike.

While the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking will refrain from running air-conditioned buses, autorickshaw and taxi  drivers have decided to stop plying, if there is any incidence of violence or damage to their vehicles.

Though the railway unions are officially not participating in the strike, the railway police have cancelled the leaves of all their constables to increase vigil at suburban stations.

Tuesday’s mega nationwide strike has been supported by 11 central trade unions and 5,000 smaller unions cutting across party lines, in protest against rising prices, disinvestment of profit-making public sector units and violation of labour laws among other reasons.

More than eight lakh bank employees too are expected to joining them to protest against privatisation.

“Regular BEST buses will ply as per schedule, but we will not run AC buses in the morning. We will first observe the situation and then only ply them as any damage to the AC buses will pinch our pocket,” said a BEST spokesperson.

The BEST has fitted 20 to 25 vehicles in all bus depots with grills and protective sheets.

“We have issued a special circular to our staff and drivers saying that no one should participate in the strike,’’ the spokesperson added.

Anthony Quadros, president of the Mumbai Taximen’s Union, said: “This strike is about the organised sector. But, we are an unorganised sector and so, will not participate. All taxis will ply as usual in Mumbai, but if there is any incidence of violence or damage to our vehicles, we will be forced to go off the roads.”

Shashank Rao of the Mumbai Automen’s union said they will “morally support” the strike, but will not stop autos from plying. “We will lead a morcha at Azad Maidan,” Rao added.

Transport unions affiliated to the Sena are supporting the strike, but they too said that they will not stop vehicles from plying.

Railway Protection Force officials said they will increase security at all key suburban stations. “We have cancelled the leaves sanctioned to our staff on Tuesday,” a Central Railway official said.

(With inputs from Alok Deshpande)

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