Bandh disrupts life in Tripura

The Left-ruled Tripura came to standstill following 12-hour bandh in protest against the abrupt hike in fuel prices.

All the roads in the state including Assam-Agartala National Highway No. 44 was deserted as vehicles, both private and public, went off the roads in response to the dawn to dask bandh called by the Left Front.

Few two-wheelers and private vehicles were seen plying in state capital, whereas buses and auto rickshaws avoided coming on road.

Various airlines suspended their operations till 6 pm. No flight took off or landed at the Agartala airport since this morning, official sources said.

Shops and Business establishments were closed as well as School and other educational institutions. The attendance in all government officials including Civil Secretariat was thin due to the bandh. However, no untoward incident was reported so far.

Chief Minister Manik Sarkar remarked to the UPA government’s move to hike the fuel products saying that it would only lead abrupt hike in the prices of essential commodities. Talking to reporters on Thursday, he said that the Congress led UPA government should have avoided the hike in fuel prices taking some positive steps but it did not pay heed to the request of the Left parties.

Partial response to Bharat Bandh

Guwahati responses partially to the Bharat Bandh called by the Bharatiya Janata Party to protest against Govt's failure to control the price rise. The always busy area around Ulubari looks deserted today. Here are a few photographs of the area.

Kachari Basti Area


Lachit Nagar end of Ulubari Flyover

The parking place under the Ulubari Flyover

The Ulubari traffic intersection

Mamoni Raisom Goswami likely to quit ULFA peace talks

Noted litterateur and peace interlocutor Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami today said that she is contemplating to withdraw from playing the role of mediator, if no significant development takes place to facilitate the peace talks between the Centre and the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) within the next six months. Talking to reporters on the sideline of a cassette release function at the Guwahati Press Club here, the Jnanpeeth awardee said, “It is high time for both the parties to come to some sort of understanding to facilitate the peace talks in the greater interest of the State before it gets too late.”

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Fire guts Hub, the first shopping mall of Guwahati

A devastating fire broke out in Hub, the high rise shopping mall at GS Road, Guwahati early this morning. No person was injured in the blaze that destroyed two storeys of the building and damaged another. The fire started around 2.40 am and spread quickly from the second storey where it had originated. Fire personnel and fire equipment rushed in from all the stations of the city and were engaged for around two hours before the blaze could be controlled. The investigation is started for a possible cause of the fire. It has been lucky for everyone because had the fire broken out during day time when the building witnesses constant rush, the consequences could well have been catastrophic. The traffic is always congested because of the ongoing construction of a fly-over in that area and it would have been impossible for fire tenders to arrive at the spot in time. Preliminery estimate shows a loss of more than 10 crores incurred by the business houses located in the shopping mall. A short circuit has been ruled out since the main power connection is always cut-off during night hours.