Trade Union bandh: 100 flights cancelled in Kolkata

Nine major trade unions have called for a 24-hour long nationwide bandh on Tuesday to protest against price rise, disinvestment of public sector, retrenchment and entry of foreign capital in retail market.

As of now, Kolkata is the worst hit due to the bandh, with more than 100 flights cancelled by major carriers,TV reports stated.

It's the second major bandh to choke the country within two months, after the Bharatiya Janata Party and other opposition parties brought the country to a standstill in July with its Bharat bandh call against skyrocketing prices.

Banking services are also likely to be affected as the federations of bank employees are also joining the strike.

The Railways, however, has been kept out of the purview of the strike as Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has opposed the strike. The Left Front is supporting the strike called by the trade unions but have urged people to keep it peaceful, the report stated.

Meanwhile, more than a 100 flights to and from Kolkata have been canceled by major carriers on Tuesday.

Jet Airways, along with its low cost carrier Jetlite, have cancelled 70 flights in all, Kingfisher has cancelled 29 and Spicejet and Indigo have canceled 20 flights each.

Air India has rescheduled several flights and there may be cancellations, depending on the situation on the ground on Tuesday.

TV reports suggested that many passengers were stranded at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International airport in Kolkata as there was a dearth of taxi services.

However, flight services in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru are reported to be normal as of yet, except flights going to and coming from Kolkata.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that the trade union strike has been quite effective in Kerala. Most of the buses of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation were stranded in the bus depots in capital Thiruvananthapuram.

More details awaited.