Bharat Bandh Brings India to a Halt as Transport, Banks and Markets Feel the Heat

Bharat Bandh Through the Eyes of Common Citizens: Commuters Struggle, Small Traders Count Losses.

Kochi/Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: As political slogans echoed across city squares and union flags fluttered in protest marches, an unusual silence settled over many streets on Thursday. The Bharat Bandh may have been called to send a strong message to policymakers, but on the ground, it was ordinary families, daily wage earners and small traders who quietly absorbed the shock of a disrupted day.

In Kerala’s Kochi, usually buzzing bus stands stood nearly deserted. Rows of parked state transport buses lined depots, their engines cold. Commuters waited with anxious faces, refreshing ride-hailing apps that showed limited availability and rising fares. “I work at a private hospital and couldn’t afford to miss duty,” said Anitha Nair, who eventually shared a ride with three strangers to reach her shift. “But not everyone can pay double the fare.”

In Bhubaneswar, Odisha, shop shutters remained down across major markets. Street vendors who depend on daily sales hesitated to set up their carts, unsure if customers would come or protests would block access. “If I don’t sell today, my family doesn’t earn today,” said 28-year-old fruit vendor Raju Behera, glancing at the nearly empty road. For him and thousands like him, a bandh is not just a headline — it is a day without income.

Delhi’s usually chaotic traffic moved slower but thinner, with several routes witnessing protest marches and brief road blockades. Outside a metro station in East Delhi, office-goers gathered in small clusters, discussing whether to return home or attempt the long commute. “There was no bus, no auto. I have an important client meeting,” said Priya Sharma, a marketing executive. “The protest may be important, but so is my job.”

Students too found themselves caught in confusion. In parts of West Bengal and Kerala, some schools announced last-minute closures, while others remained technically open but saw sparse attendance. Parents scrambled for updates through WhatsApp groups, worried about safety and transportation. College students preparing for competitive exams expressed frustration over interrupted schedules.

At government hospitals and emergency wards, services continued, but patients reported delays in reaching facilities due to limited transport. App-based cab fares surged in some cities as demand rose and supply dipped. Meanwhile, daily construction workers, delivery agents and informal labourers lost an entire day’s earnings, sitting at home and hoping work would resume the next morning.

Yet, amid the inconvenience, there was also empathy. Some citizens said they understood the concerns over job security, labour reforms and farmers’ livelihoods. “Everyone is struggling in some way,” said a tea stall owner in Kolkata who chose to keep his shop partially open. “But when the country shuts down, it’s the poor who feel it first.”

As dusk fell and protest rallies began to thin out, cities slowly prepared to return to normal. But for many households living on tight budgets, the impact of this single day will linger — in missed wages, postponed purchases and unsettled routines. Beyond political debates and policy arguments, the Bharat Bandh left behind stories of resilience, frustration and the quiet endurance of common people trying to get through just another day.