Tamil Nadu Transport Strike Enters Day 2, Thousands Hit 

Chennai: Thousands of people were affected across Tamil Nadu as most buses remained off the road on the second day of the transport workers strike on Saturday while talks between the government and the protesters failed to break the deadlock.

Over 40 trade unions affiliated to the state transport corporations have decided to intensify the protest as another round of talks between the striking employees and Transport Minister M.R. Vijayabaskar failed while opposition parties urged the AIADMK government to solve the issue immediately. Though associations affiliated to the AIADMK operated bus services as usual, more than 70 per cent of state roadways were off the roads hitting thousands of commuters. To deal with the crisis, Southern Railway operated extra EMU services in the capital city. However, passengers in other districts could not commute as the private operators refused to operate in rural areas. Chief Minister K Palaniswami also held discussions with the Transport Department authorities on Saturday afternoon to solve the transport strikers issue as the situation going worse.

Meanwhile, the opposition DMK, Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party urged the government to hold talks with the striking transport employees for meeting their long-pending demands including non-payment of pensions among others. (IANS)