The Bharat Bandh call given by the opposition parties and some of the farmers organisations received a mixed response in Gujarat, even as protesters tried to close highways and markets across the state.

Life remained normal on Tuesday in major cities, including Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat and Rajkot. Except for scattered incidents of forceful closure of markets, shops, banks, government offices and other business establishments remained open during the day.

State transport buses were on schedule in most parts of the state, while the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) in Ahmedabad, Surat and Rajkot remained operational despite a threat from protesters.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani termed the bandh, supported by the Congress, a failure.

Arvind Thakker, president of Gujarat Petroleum Dealers Association, said, “More than 4,000 petrol pumps across the state remained open. Supply of petroleum products from the depots of petroleum companies too remained regular.” He said the association had decided a day before not to support the bandh to provide seamless supply of petrol and diesel to the common people.

Similarly, Mukesh Dave, president of Akhil Gujarat Truck Transport Association, said most transporters opened their offices during the day and operations remained normal.

However, there were reports of highways being blocked in some places. Sources said protesters tried to block highways connecting Ahmedabad to Viramgam, the Ahmedabad-Vadodara highway near Chhani village and Bharuch-Dahej road. Traffic resumed after police took control of the situation.

Several incidents of tyred being burnt tyres on the roads were also reported in the state.

The state government had imposed Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code and banned assembly of more than four persons.

Though most Agriculture Market Produce Committees (APMCs) remained open, activities remained restricted. One of the biggest market yards in Asia, Unjha APMC, witnessed extremely low activity.

Atul Kamani, president of Saurashtra APMC traders association, said that though officially most APMCs in Saurashtra remained open, farmers didn’t turn up with their produce.

As a precautionary measure, the police detained farmers leaders’, including Jayesh Patel of Gujarat Khedut Samaj on Tuesday morning. More than 300 protesters were reportedly detained across the state.