Hyderabad: The bandh called by various political parties over the BC reservation issue largely remained peaceful in the city on Saturday, with the exception of a few incidents of vandalism. Despite the shutdown, all services, except for RTC bus operations, functioned normally, resulting in minimal inconvenience to festive crowds.RTC buses were confined to bus depots till later in the afternoon as politicians from different parties held rasta roko protests, obstructing the exits of the depots. MRPS leader Manda Krishna Madiga, along with BC association leaders, led a protest at the Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (MGBS) early on Saturday, preventing buses from leaving. In the afternoon, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president B Mahesh Kumar Goud joined the protest.Schools and colleges remained closed on Saturday due to the bandh. However, shops in major market areas, including Begum Bazar, Siddiamber Bazar, Troop Bazar, Abids, Bowenpally market, and Monda market, opened as usual in the morning. By 11am, queues had formed and people were shopping for firecrackers at Siddiamber Bazar. “We live in Goshamahal and, for the past several years, we have been buying crackers at Siddiamber Bazar. I heard that today (Saturday) is a bandh, but except for RTC buses, everything else seems normal. We bought everything — flowers, sweets and crackers,” said Amit Mathur, an accountant.While Amit used his personal transport for shopping, those dependent on RTC buses faced difficulties in the morning. P Yadagiri, 65, a farmer from Yadagirigutta, was among those who waited in vain for city buses at Afzulgunj. “Eight days ago, I brought my daughter to Osmania General Hospital for treatment. This (Saturday) morning, when I got out of the hospital to go back home, not a single bus was available. Private transport is too costly for me,” Yadagiri said.Shankar, a resident of Miyapur and a software engineer in Hitech City, inadvertently boarded a Metro train during the bandh to reach MGBS. “I realised about the bandh only after going to MGBS. Not a single bus left the bus station since morning. I checked at the enquiry desk and the staff said services are likely to resume by evening. I decided to wait,” he said.Finally, public transport commuters used Metro and MMTS services on Saturday, though some incurred additional expenses for auto and cab rides to reach their destinations. Meanwhile, BJP, BRS and senior Congress leaders took part in the protests. Although the bandh was mostly peaceful, three incidents of private property damage were reported in the Nallakunta and Kacheguda police station areas in the morning. A group of four protesters damaged the glass panes of a Bajaj Electronics shop in Nallakunta and Raghavendra Tiffin Centre at Barkhatpura X roads. Three minutes later, they vandalised an HP petrol pump, damaging the display units of two fuel dispensing machines with sticks and stones. The Nallakunta and Kacheguda police said three separate cases will be registered for these incidents.The same group later went to Mozzam Jahi Market and entered an eatery, but left without causing damage after the shopkeeper closed the shutters. Earlier, BRS workers had briefly forced the closure of Karachi Bakery and Haldiram’s store at MJ Market.
