Bharat Bandh Hits Public Transport; Rail Services Disrupted in Bihar, Bengal

Public transport services were badly hit across several Indian states on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, due to the nationwide Bharat Bandh called by a coalition of 10 central trade unions. The protest opposes the Centre’s labour reforms and economic policies, which unions claim undermine workers’ rights.

The strike disrupted operations in multiple sectors, including public transport, government offices, banking, postal services, coal mining, and industrial production.

In Bihar, members of the Rashtriya Janata Dal’s students’ wing blocked railway tracks at Jehanabad railway station, halting train movement. In West Bengal, agitators affiliated with Left-backed unions obstructed rail services at key stations like Jadavpur, sitting on the tracks despite police presence.

In Kolkata, Central Trade Union members staged rallies and burned effigies in protest against the four Labour Codes introduced by the Union government.