Transport staff members` strike crippled normal life in the city on a busy working day yesterday as commuters, most of them not aware that Thursday`s strike was continuing, faced huge problems in commuting to work and other places. In the meantime, a Bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose warned that staff may face dire consequences if strike is not called off.

Only 750 out of the 3,790 buses operated in the city as Bus Depots at Madhavaram, Anna Nagar, Vadapalani and Perambur wore deserted looks. While office-goers somehow managed to make use of suburban train services, most school and college-going students had to remain indoors as only 20% of the normal buses were plying.

An MTC official said that service were expected to improve on Saturday and Sunday, weekend busy holidays ahead of next week`s Pongal, when people would need the bus wervices very badly. Striking Unions, however, ruled out the possibility of calling off strike at once and added that their counsel would explain to the High Court on Monday the reasons/factors which pushed them to take the extreme step of striking.

After holding talks with his Transport minister Vijayabhaskar, Tamil Nadu chief-minister Edapadi K. Palaniswami asked him to initiate disciplinary action against the striking staff. In a related development and in what migh hurt the commuters more, the MRTS services from Beach to Velacherry would remain suspended for 7 hours from 09:30 a.m. till 04:00 p.m. on Saturday.