Bharat Bandh 2016: What will remain open despite nationwide strike on Sept. 2?
Bharat Bandh 2016: What will remain open despite nationwide strike on Sept. 2?IANS

A nationwide strike has been called by trade unions across India, which may bring the entire country to a standstill. Transport organisations, banks, government offices, commercial organisations and factories will be shut to support the 12-hour strike. But the bigger question is whether schools and colleges will remain open on Friday, Sept. 2, during the Bharat bandh.

Since the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), North Eastern Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NEKRTC) and North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) have extended their support to the national strike, school buses in some cities will join the protest.

Read: Trade unions reject Modi Govt sops to workers; firm on September 2 strike

Public and private schools in Chennai will remain open on Friday, but schools in Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Hyderabad will remain shut. General Secretary of the Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka (KAMS), Shashi Kumar D told The News Minute that its state-wide members, which are over 1,800 in total, have decided to declare a holiday for schools in interest of children's safety.

Currently, schools and colleges haven't declared an official holiday across India, but considering similar situations in the past, educational institutions will mostly declare a holiday on Friday.

Read: Bharat Bandh: BMTC, KSRTC, autos, cabs to follow strike; banks, insurance companies to be shut in Karnataka

Emergency services, such as medical shops and hospitals, along with the supply of essential commodities will not be affected by Bharat bandh on Friday. Train services are expected to remain operational during the bandh. Cab-aggregator Uber said its drivers will be working on Friday, while rival Ola is yet to issue a statement whether or not it will support the strike.