Telangana bandh: Shops shut, bus services hit

HYDERABAD: The bandh called by TRS in Telangana region on Thursday against a reported proposal by GoM to merge two districts of Rayalaseema in Andhra Pradesh with the proposed state has hit normal life in the region.

Bus services of the state-run State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) were badly affected as TRS leaders and workers held protests near bus stations at different places in Telangana since morning. Shops and other commercial establishments did not open at various places in the region.

The personnel of coal mines in the region have also stayed away from work, according to reports reaching here. The bandh was called by TRS and other pro-Telangana organizations against reported proposal of a bigger Telangana which entails splitting Rayalaseema region and adding two of its four districts to the ten districts of proposed Telangana state.

TRS had appealed to people from all walks of life to voluntarily observe the shutdown. Rayala-Telangana envisages adding Anantapur and Kurnool districts to the proposed state of Telangana. The idea was suggested by some Congress leaders as a way to address problems like water sharing that are involved in the division of Andhra Pradesh.

Media reports said the Centre was seriously considering the proposal. The ruling Congress leaders from Telangana and opposition parties like BJP had opposed Rayala-Telangana. Some of the Telagana Congress leaders have, however, found fault with the bandh call today saying the Rayala-Telangana proposal is only found in media reports.

The Union Cabinet is likely to discuss the report on Telangana and the draft bill to create the new state as the GoM completed its work last night and is believed to have recommended merger of two districts of Rayalseema with the proposed state.