Day-long Bandh in Coastal Andhra Pradesh Friday Jan 03,2014

A day-long bandh called by United Andhra supporters, including TDP and YSRCP, against draft Telangana Bill hit essential services in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema districts today Friday Jan 03,2014, inconveniencing several citizens.

The winter session of the Legislative Assembly resumed today and the draft bill is on the agenda of the House.

Activists of TDP, YSRCP and Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers (APNGOs) Association and others held protests since morning at Vijaywada, Eluru, Tirupati and other places in the two regions of Andhra Pradesh.

Schools, colleges, shops and other commercial establishments remained shut at many places in the Seemandhra region and the state-run Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) services were badly affected.

Bus services between Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh were affected from 7 a.m. on Friday due to the strike in Andhra Pradesh.

Buses did not ply across the border on both the sides but services will resume from 3 p.m., sources said. According to Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) officials, there are a total of 207 services to Andhra Pradesh. Out of this, around 100 buses ply to temple towns such as Tirupati and Kalahasthi.

APSRTC officials said they were facing a 60 per cent revenue loss due to the strike.

The bandh was called by the APNGOs, and supported by TDP and YSRCP among others.