Kasaragod: A dawn to dusk private bus strike hit routine life of the people in Kasaragod district of Kerala after a statewide bus strike call received huge support from the bus operators in the district here on Friday. However, KSRTC buses on the state and national highways have succeeded to minimize the effect of the strike on common man whereas the bandh hit routine life of the people in rural, semi urban areas in the district.

Various bus owners’ unions, associations and others called for a bus strike to urge Kerala state government to fulfill their demands. Private bus owners earlier urged the government to revise students’ ticket charge, to exempt the buses from various taxes after the implementation of GST, to reduce diesel charge from Rs 61 to Rs 56.12 per liter as the fuel is being sold at Rs 56 per liter in Karnataka, revision of bus permits and others. The bus owners have also planned for an indefinite strike in Kerala if state government remains silent over their demands.