Chennai: Road and rail traffic has taken a massive hit across Tamil Nadu due to a bandh called by DMK to protest against Centre’s ‘failure’ to set up a Cauvery Management Board.

State capital of Chennai bore the brunt of protests on Tuesday and several areas including Anna Salai, Kodambakkam and Nungambakkam seeing protests. News agency ANI reported that morning traffic, in particular, took a hit and with trade unions opting to join the protests, bus services too were affected. Similar scenes were reported from elsewhere in the state. Bus services in Hosur and Trichy were interrupted, and KSRTC inter-state bus service from neighbouring Karnataka was disrupted as well.

There were reports of several trains to and from the state running late because of the protests. Most shop owners and local traders kept their establishments locked.

The dawn-to-dusk bandh call by the main opposition DMK has received the backing of a number of organisations representing farmers, traders, trade unions, lawyers, lawyers and others. The bandh comes just days after the ruling AIADMK had called a hunger strike over the issue.