Essential services won’t be hit: Government

According to the DGP’s office, the entire district police personnel have been instructed to mobilise full strength to ensure peace. The city police have also deputed full strength to ensure smooth public life on the day of the strike. Sources said the government had given directions to ensure smooth functioning of essential services and maintenance of law and order. 

“About 15,000 police personnel would be deployed across the city. Full strength from the Armed Reserves has also been summoned for duty on Tuesday,” a senior police official said. 

Though the abstention of ruling AIADMK and a few other parties in the Opposition ranks would make the strike less than total, the coming together of DMK, Left and VCK besides the support extended by a section of traders, actors and producers and other likeminded groups will throw life in the state out of gear when DMK working president MK Stalin leads the protest from Tiruvarur. Congress leader Su Thirunavukkarasar would lead the strike at Egmore in the city, a party released said. Senior DMK and Congress leaders would head the show in their respective districts. 

Suburban and express train service would remain unaffected on Tuesday. Though the Left parties, whose trade unions have sizeable presence in railways, would participate in the strike, rail services, officials confirmed, would remain normal. 

The Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) has announced that all the buses will be operated without interruption on Tuesday. V Krishnamurthy, Managing Director, MTC, told DTNext that they would not reduce the fleets in the city and suburbs. 

Similarly, the TN State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) and State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) have decided to operate all their buses. “We have not received any communication from the government with regard to the call for a shut down. The passengers can travel without fear,” said a TNSTC official. 

Moreover, TN Omni Bus Owners Association would also operate their buses. “We may reduce the number of services during the day but we will operate all the buses after dusk,” said a member of the association. 

However, many auto and taxi driver’s associations are ready to join the strike. S Balasubramaniam, state joint secretary, Auto and Taxi Drivers Association (South Chennai) affiliated to CITU, said that around 10 main associations would participate in the strike. Tamil Nadu Lorry Owners Federation and Chennai Goods Transport Associations (CGTA) will also support strike. PV Subramaniam, former president, CGTA, said that all the lorries in the state would go off the road on Tuesday. Meanwhile, M Thiyagarajan, president, Koyambedu Market Vegetable and Flower Traders Welfare Association, said, “Around 2,000 shops will be closed. Farmers cultivate vegetables, we fully support them.” 

The TN Milk Producers Federation (Aavin) has made arrangements to ensure that loads reach supply points by 4 am on Tuesday. However, with the traders’ associations also participating in the strike, most of the shops, retail outlets and eateries are likely to remain closed on Tuesday.