Karnataka bandh
Bangalore bound Ashok Leyland BS III Suvarna Karnataka Sarige.Creative Commons/Rohit Ramakrishnan

In less than two weeks, Karnataka is witnessing yet another bandh due to the strike called by national level road transport organisations on Thursday, 30 April. The normal life is most likely to be affected again.

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It is a bandh against the proposed new Road Transport Bill by the BJP-lead NDA government. Both the private and public sectors are supporting the nation-wide strike.

Report from Bengaluru:

The state government has made necessary security arrangements to ensure that the law and order remains in control and deployed 30 platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police and 30 platoons of City Armed Reserve police along with home guards and civil defence personnel.

Below, we bring you the live updates of the situations from Bengaluru and all over Karnataka.

5.00 PM: Karnataka CM tweets: "Don't spread rumours or make false complaints. Police is making all efforts to keep the situation normal." 

3.11 PM: The bus service is expected to start at 4 PM.

2.40 PM: A total of ₹8 crore of loss is expected for the Karnataka Transportation department.

2.15 PM: One more bus has been reportedly attacked in Belagavi.

1.15 PM: Bus service to Hassan begins.

1.13 PM: M N Reddi tweets: "Some people are giving false complaints on twittter. legal action will be taken against such people."

1.00 PM: Massive support for bandh from KSRTC drivers in Davangere. 30 buses from this region and 100 buses in Harihara have remained off roads.

12.29 PM: A commuter named Parushuram aged 41 faints at Hubli bus stand after waiting for the city bus for over hours. He had reached Hubli early morning from Bengaluru after taking treatment to heart related diseases at Jayadeva Hospital. It is quite shocking that nobody attended him for more than one hour by transport officials but public came to his rescue. 

12.26 PM: Bus service begins for Virajpet and Mysuru.

12.10 PM: KSRTC drivers get into an argument with private drivers for entering Majestic bus stand. 

12.10 PM: There is a report that a bus has been attacked at Ramakrishna gate. The driver has been injured. The incident reportedly happened in the early morning.

12.05 PM: Bangalore to Hosur bus transport resumed, say cops.

11.48 AM: There is a report that four buses in Mysuru road have been attacked by miscreants.

11.30 AM: Private buses and taxis have been allowed to operate at bus stations today.

11.25 AM: Ola, Meru and other cab services are functioning today. People can make use of the service instead of auto-rickshaws, which charge exorbitant price. 

11.20 AM: A report says that about 15 buses have been already attacked.

11.13 AM: In a surprising move, a few private buses enter BMTC bus stand and pick the commuters. 

11.00 AM: Karnataka CM tweets: We are monitoring #transportstrike. Volvo bus operations have been started. Shops & Commercial establishments are open.

10.40 AM: Harried commuters are forced to hire auto-rickshaws at exorbitant price in Majestic.

10.20 AM: About 50% drop in passenger traffic in Namma Metro due to lack of BMTC feeder buses.

10.15 AM: MG Road Metro Station wears deserted look due to strike.

10.12 AM: Additional Commissioner Alok Kumar holds talks with BMTC officials and assures security to buses.

10.04 AM: Miscreants pelt stones at a bus in Mysuru (Mysore).

9.58 AM: The bandh has got good response in Mangaluru (Mangalore). KSRTC, autorickshaws and private buses have remained off the road.

9.46 AM: Trains are plying like usual. 

9.40AM: MNS Reddi, IPS, Commissioner of Police Tweets: Transport Strike: there is no Bandh at all in the city. Citizens can freely move about and shops can be kept open without any fear (n/n)
Transport Strike: Police deployed all over. No untoward incidents will be allowed to happen. Strict action will b taken agnst vandals (4/n)
Transport Strike: Pvt buses n autos plying. Transport Commissioner has permitted ferrying of passengers by pvt vehicles, maxi cabs etc(3/n)
Transport Strike: KSRTC/BMTC buses largely off the road but v r assuring them full protection to ply. Some depots have resumed service (2/n)
Transport Strike: stones were thrown on buses early hours by some anti-social elements in city n outskirts. Situation peaceful now. (1/n)

9.40 AM: An incident has been reported where a bus has been set on fire by miscreants in Bagalkote. 
9.30 AM: Additional commissioner says they allow peaceful protests but any acts of violence will be dealt with strict action.
9.15 AM: BMTC, KSRTC buses  to go off the road soon.
9.05: Out of 170 Volvo buses in Bengaluru, only 60 are plying in the city.
9.00 AM: The strike gets mixed response in Mysuru and Kolar.
8.55 AM: BMTC has been running very few buses.
8.40 AM: Bus Services severely hit in Kodagu, Shivamogga, Chamrajpet.Haasan, Belagavi, Vijayapura, Ballari etc.
8.37 AM: Miscreants pelt stones at a bus in Hosur road and in Jalahalli.
8.25: Privates buses are operating at Kalasipalya and some bus drivers have said that as they have not got intimation from their owners whether to support or boycott the bandh, they are working like usual.
8.15 AM: Cab services are available and many companies are operating today like usual.
8.10 AM: Auto-rickshaws are staying off today.
8.00 AM: Frequency of buses is less today. This has hit commuters badly.