Bengaluru
-Madhuri Adnal
Bengaluru
Bandh:
Karnataka’s
capital
is
likely
to
face
significant
disruptions
on
July
9
as
trade
unions
across
India
participate
in
a
massive
Bharat
Bandh.
The
strike
is
supported
by
over
25
crore
workers
from
banking,
insurance,
postal,
coal,
and
transport
sectors.
Organised
by
ten
central
trade
unions,
the
bandh
is
a
protest
against
the
Centre’s
“anti-labour” and
“pro-corporate”
policies.
Banking
and
Insurance
Services
Hit
The
All
India
Bank
Employees
Association
(AIBEA)
and
Bengal
Provincial
Bank
Employees
Association
are
actively
participating
in
the
strike.
As
a
result,
banking
services
in
Bengaluru-including
cheque
clearance,
account
management,
and
loan
processing-are
expected
to
be
delayed
or
suspended.
Similarly,
insurance
offices
may
also
see
reduced
manpower,
affecting
customer
support
and
policy
servicing.
Public
Transport
and
Government
Services
While
BMTC
and
KSRTC
have
not
officially
announced
service
suspension,
transport
services
may
see
delays
or
limited
frequency,
especially
if
employees
join
the
protest
or
if
routes
are
blocked
by
rallies.
Postal
services
may
be
disrupted
due
to
the
participation
of
postal
workers.
Government
offices
are
expected
to
remain
open,
but
staffing
shortages
could
result
in
slower
operations.
Commuters
are
advised
to
check
for
real-time
updates
before
traveling.
Schools
and
Colleges:
No
Holiday
Yet
As
of
now,
the
Karnataka
government
has
not
declared
a
holiday
for
schools
and
colleges
on
July
9.
However,
attendance
may
drop
due
to
transport
uncertainty
and
safety
concerns.
Parents
are
advised
to
follow
official
school
communications
for
updates.
Private
Sector
Response
IT
companies,
tech
parks,
and
corporate
offices
in
Whitefield,
Electronic
City,
and
Hebbal
are
monitoring
the
situation.
Some
firms
may
allow
work-from-home
to
avoid
commute
issues.
Delivery
apps
and
logistics
services
could
also
be
affected,
especially
in
areas
with
road
blockades
or
protests.
Electricity
and
Coal
Workers
Join
In
With
over
27
lakh
electricity
workers
backing
the
strike
nationwide,
there’s
a
chance
of
minor
disruptions
in
power
supply,
though
full
outages
are
not
anticipated
in
Bengaluru.
Coal
sector
employees
are
also
participating,
adding
further
weight
to
the
protest.
Why
the
Strike
Is
Happening
At
the
heart
of
the
strike
is
a
17-point
charter
of
demands
submitted
by
trade
unions
to
Labour
Minister
Mansukh
Mandaviya.
Key
issues
include:
Opposition
to
the
four
labour
codes,
which
unions
say
weaken
collective
bargaining
and
union
rights.
Reinstatement
of
the
Old
Pension
Scheme
(OPS).
Opposition
to
FDI
in
insurance,
and
privatisation
of
public
sector
undertakings.
Demands
for
job
security,
minimum
wages,
and
reduction
of
service
charges
for
common
citizens.
Political
Reactions
and
Trade
Union
Stand
The
trade
union
forum
accuses
the
government
of
failing
to
hold
the
annual
labour
conference
for
10
years
and
of
abandoning
India’s
welfare
model
in
favour
of
corporate
interests.
The
protest
is
meant
to
send
a
strong
message
before
implementation
of
further
economic
and
labour
reforms.
What
Bengaluru
Residents
Should
Expect
While
Bengaluru
won’t
be
shut
down
completely,
the
bandh
will
likely
lead
to
disruptions
across
banking,
transport,
delivery
services,
and
some
public
offices.
The
scale
of
impact
will
depend
on
participation
levels
and
law
enforcement
arrangements.
Citizens
are
advised
to:
Avoid
non-essential
travel
Use
digital
banking
Check
with
schools
and
offices
in
advance
Stay
updated
via
official
channels
