Shops, businesses, transport and educational institutions were closed in all towns of Seemandhra.
Opposing the state's division, protestors took to the streets forcing closure of hotels and shops and burning tyres on main roads. They erected road blocks on state and national highways, halting all traffic.
Burning effigies of Congress leaders and raising slogans of "Jai Samaikyandhra" (Long live united Andhra), they crippled Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur, Tirupati, Anantapur, Kurnool and other towns.
Vehicular traffic from and to the neighbouring states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Odisha came to a halt.
While buses of the state-owned transport corporation are off the roads for nearly two months due to the indefinite strike by employees, private vehicles were also taken off due to the shutdown, causing hardships to commuters.
More than six lakh government employees, teachers and workers are on strike since Aug 13 to protest the July 30 decision of the Congress party to create a separate Telangana state.
On Thursday, the union cabinet approved the formation of the new state.
Five central ministers submitted their resignations while Union Human Resource Development Minister M.M. Pallam Raju Friday said he has decided to resign.
"It is a very sad day for Andhra Pradesh. I am hurt and aggrieved at the way the decision has been rushed to bifurcate the state," Pallam Raju said in New Delhi.
