Except private and government schools, normal life was not affected as government offices, banks and business establishments functioned as usual, though government and private schools, as well as colleges under Andhra university remained closed for the second day.
Road Transport Corporation sources said that it operated city and long route services since morning and there was no damage to buses in the district since Wednesday. However, some shops and commercial establishments voluntarily closed their shutters.
Meanwhile, a hunger strike launched by students' joint action committee leader Lagudu last night at Mahatma Gandhi statute at the Andhra University entered the third day on Thursday and student leaders organised a rally in Andhra university demanding that the central government reverse its decision.
At Narsipatnam, nearly 20,000 students organised a human chain expressing their displeasure over the formation of Telangana. Lawyers also boycotted courts as part of their 72-hour boycott, demanding that central government to keep Andhra Pradesh united.
Students' joint action committee and NGO organisations staged a dharna today and demanded the resignations of AP state minister for infrastructure and investments Ganta Srinivasa Rao and state AP tribal welfare Minster P. Balaraju. In all, 12 activists were taken into custody by the police. According to police, the situation was peaceful and no untoward incidents were reported so far on Thursday.
In East Godavari district, a bandh called by Samaikyandhra (united AP) activists continued for the second day today, with some minor incidents of damage of buses and demonstrations in front of political party offices, according to a report from Rajahmundry.
The shut down led to increase in water levels of river Godavari at Dowleswaram barrage since irrigation officials were not allowed to enter the Dowleswaram irrigation circle office, an officer said, though the district administration is taking steps to monitor water levels at Dowleswaram barrage.
Roads wore a deserted look, as education, commercial, financial institutions including ATMs remained closed due to the shut down, though the police posted police pickets at vulnerable points and tightened security at residences of union ministers and political party offices.
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