City suffers as shops remain closed

Citizens were held to ransom for the second consecutive day, as traders kept shops shut in protest against the proposed local body tax (LBT).

Citizens were held to ransom for the second consecutive day, as traders kept shops shut in protest against the proposed local body tax (LBT).

HT Image

Shutters of most retail shops were down on Tuesday, despite a call by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray asking traders to call off the strike.

If the state government doesn’t budge, traders said they’ll launch a statewide agitation, and rope in transporters — spelling more trouble for citizens, as it will affect supply of essential goods.

“We have no choice but to intensify the agitation,” said Arun Doshi, senior vice president, Fed-eration of Associations of Maha-rashtra. Transporters’ bodies said they’ll start with a day-long strike.

“We will go on strike on Friday, but if the state doesn’t relent, we will proceed to an indefinite one,” said Guru Pratap Singh Gandhi, president, Bombay Goods Transport Association.