Bengaluru: The capital city received mixed response for the nation-wide bandh called on Friday against the newly introduced road safety bill.

Most of the factory workers abstained from work. Leftist parties backed organizations CITU and others took a massive rally at Central Business District and staged protest march.

Industrial hubs, especially Peenya industrial area, Bidadi industrial areas donned deserted look on the day. Some of the workers staged protest in front of their respective companies and shouted slogans against central government.

Stray incidents of burning tyres and others were also reported in the industrial hubs. Some of the protesters even forcefully pulled off auto rickshaw drivers who were plying. Scanty number of rickshaws were on road and demanded exuberant fare charges taking advantage of the situation. Even patients and others who were in emergency too were not spared.

However, the Bandh was observed by and large peacefully. BMTC ran few buses on selected routes with police security.  The attendance both in private and government offices was less than half, sources said. Most of the MNCs asked their workers to work from home. Some of the schools declared holiday and colleges ran as usual. The business establishments remained unaffected. The situation is likely to ease by evening.