Benglauru: The three-day strike by employees of State-owned road transport corporations severely affected businesses in and around Benglauru. With employees not being able to go to work, the most affected were the textile and garment sector, according to the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC).

“The garment sector is highly labour-intensive and employees were unable to reach their workplaces due to non-availability of public transport. Over the last three days, industry production lines have been working at sub-optimal levels,” said Thyagu Valliappa, president of BCIC.

The chamber urged the State government to focus on alternative means of transport, such as the metro rail project, which can stabilise the public transport network. “Both the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and the KSRTC (Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation) are considered role models for several States. The State government should have handled the strike in a more judicious manner,” said Pankajam Sridevi, senior vice-president, BCIC. Karnataka has around 5 lakh workers in the garment and textile sector, with most of them working in the city. The workforce mostly comprises of women, who rely on buses for their daily commute