Punjab bandh: Shops across Doaba region shut, lukewarm response seen in other parts of state
In the Doaba region, which includes Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur and SBS Nagar districts, most commercial establishments remained shut and market areas wore a deserted look. The transportation facilities, however, saw no impact.
The Punjab bandh call given by different unions in wake of the Manipur violence received an overwhelming response from the Doaba region, where market associations decided to keep their shutters down, on Wednesday, though a lukewarm response was seen other parts of the state.
In the Doaba region, which includes Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur and SBS Nagar districts, most commercial establishments remained shut and market areas wore a deserted look. The transportation facilities, however, saw no impact.
Most private schools also remained shut in Jalandhar district as a precautionary measure.
While no blockades were reported on the Delhi-Amritsar national highway, protesters blocked the approach roads at Rama Mandi Chowk and Lamma Pind square. Protesters also blocked the Jalandhar-Hoshiarpur roads, besides the Kapurthala Chowk, Maqsudan bypass and Ravidas Chowk.
Complete shutdown in Amritsar
While Amritsar city observed a complete shutdown with almost all main markets, including Hall Bazaar, Katra Jaimal Singh Bazaar and those in the vicinity of the Golden Temple, remaining shut, other parts of the Majha region showed a lukewarm response.
Other services including transport, banking, health, government services, however, continued as normal. While some schools decided to exempt junior class students from attending classes for the day, most schools remained open.
While the towns of Amritsar district observed a partial bandh, Pathankot, Gurdaspur and Batala showed a mixed response. Here, shopkeepers decided to bring shutters down if protests erupt.
In the Tarn Taran district, the bandh call failed to have any impact with almost all commercial establishments remaining open.
In most parts of the south Malwa region, except Ferozepur district, a lukewarm response was seen to the bandh call.
Private commercial establishments and all educational institutes remained open in Bathinda, Faridkot, Fazilka and other parts of the belt.
As per information, bus and train services in the region also remained unaffected till 10.30 am.
Ferozepur, which is located on the India-Pakistan border, witnessed an overwhelming response, where all markets remained closed since morning and several private school managements also declared an off for students.
There was no input of any attempt to disrupt the public transport or the highways.
In Sangrur and Barnala districts, the impact of the bandh call was hardly visible and normalcy prevailed. The Moonak Bar Association, however, extended support to the strike.
AK Joshi, president of the Moonak bar association, said the meeting of executive committee was held on Wednesday and it was unanimously resolved that bar association Moonak will observe a “No work day” on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, heavy police deployment was made in all parts of the state to ensure law-and-order amid the bandh.
