Overview

• On July 8 around 8,000 private buses stayed off roads across Kerala, with Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kannur and Kozhikode districts hardest hit.
• Kerala State Road Transport Corporation added 25 extra services from its Ernakulam depot and deployed additional runs in central and northern districts to ease commuter distress.
• Passengers reported long waits at bus stops, a jump in ride-hailing demand and cases of autorickshaw overcharging during the one-day shutdown.
• Bus owners are pressing for renewal of expired permits, a revision of the ₹1 student fare, rollback of limited-stop conversions and withdrawal of daily police verification requirements.
• A general strike by ten central trade unions is under way on July 9, and operators maintain their threat to halt services indefinitely from July 22 if talks remain stalled.