The day-long private transporters' strike called by trade unions in Kerala [Images] to protest the hike in petrol and diesel prices affected normal life in the state with people facing difficulty in reaching offices, colleges and schools.

Reports from different parts of the state said buses, taxis, trucks and commercial vehicles stayed off the road in response to the strike sponsored by the Left-dominated Motor Vehicle Workers Co-ordination Committee.

State-run Kerala State Road Transport Corporation, however, maintained its services and no attacks on its buses were reported from anywhere.

In most places, schools and colleges went without bench-strength while many schools cancelled the quarterly examinations scheduled for the day.

The strike, however, had little impact on the attendance in offices, banks and business establishments as there was no roadblock to movement of private vehicles.

A Kozhikode report said the strike was near total in the northern districts where people rely heavily on private bus services.

Kottayam district had been exempted from the strike due to a local festival.

The unions wanted the central government to roll back the latest hike in prices of petrol and diesel and the state government to reduce the local tax on them.