Kerala private bus strike begins, national strike to follow: Shops, banks, autos to be hit

Kerala's public transport system is set for major disruption over two days, beginning with a private bus strike today, July 8 (Tuesday), and followed by a national general strike on July 9 (Wednesday), called by multiple trade unions.

Private buses stay off roads

Daily life across Kerala was severely disrupted on Tuesday as nearly 20,000 private buses remained off the roads following a Statewide token strike called by the Joint Committee of Bus Owners. The move came after talks with the Transport Commissioner failed to resolve the operators' long-pending grievances.

Private bus owners have been urging authorities to address several key demands. These include the prompt renewal of expired permits, withdrawal of the order converting limited-stop buses into ordinary services, and revisions in student fare concessions. Additionally, they are calling for the withdrawal of the mandatory police clearance for bus workers.

The operators have also demanded measures to check the use of fake concession cards by students.

Following the collapse of discussions with the Transport Commissioner, the operators resorted to a token strike on Tuesday. They have warned that if the government does not act within a week, they will initiate an indefinite strike from July 22.

Kerala heavily relies on private bus services, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), which operates around 6,200 buses, primarily serves main cities and towns. As a result, the absence of private buses affected office attendance and school operations, especially for institutions lacking private or alternate transport.

Meanwhile, auto rickshaws and unregulated private vans capitalised on the situation, ferrying stranded commuters across suburban and interior parts of the state.

Full-scale national strike tomorrow

A 24-hour national strike, spearheaded by 10 Central trade unions on a 17-point charter of demands, will begin at midnight and is expected to severely disrupt daily life in Kerala.

All major trade unions in the State are participating, which may affect banking, public sector offices, and various government services. Bus, auto-rickshaw, and taxi operations are likely to be hit, with unions in Ernakulam and elsewhere confirming participation by transport workers.

Essential services such as milk supply and newspaper distribution will remain exempt from the strike, according to the joint trade union front.

Trade unions have urged the public to support the strike by closing shops and avoiding travel, in protest against what they call the Union government’s “anti-worker, anti-farmer” policies.