Bharat Bandh 2025: Guwahati Stays Largely Unaffected Despite National Call

Guwahati: On July 9, 2025, the 31st Bharat Bandh called by a alliance of trade unions, farmers' groups, and other civil society organisations led to major commotions in several parts of India. 

Though, Guwahati, the busy entry to Northeast India, remained largely honest by the nationwide strike. While there was some localized impact from a simultaneous 24-hour “chakka bandh” (transport strike) called by drivers’ unions in Assam, life in the city went on almost as normal.

The local transport strike, which began at 5 AM on Wednesday, was unnerved in unity with the Bharat Bandh but engrossed chiefly on regional complaints. 

Assam-based driver unions called for the bandh difficult better wages, regulation of fuel prices, and safety guarantees for drivers.

As a result, Guwahati witnessed irregular sit-in protests at key junctions such as Khanapara, Narengi, and the area nearby Guwahati Club.

These complaints briefly troubled movement of buses, taxis, and trucks, chiefly during the early morning hours. 

Though, there was no major law-and-order incident or prolonged traffic congestion in the city. Private vehicles, two-wheelers, and app-based cab services continued operations in most parts of the city, justifying the effect of the strike.

Nevertheless the symbolic support lengthy by the state’s drivers’ associations to the Bharat Bandh, the broader impact of the nationwide strike failed to make a significant dent in Guwahati’s functioning. Key subdivisions such as banking, postal services, government offices, railways, and educational institutes continued operational.

Offices, both private and public, registered normal attendance. 

Schools and colleges held regular classes, and retail outlets and marketplaces remained open for business. Street vendors, restaurants, and shopping malls in areas like Paltan Bazar, GS Road, and Dispur reported regular footfall, representative that the fear of trouble did not discourage the public from going about their daily lives.

The Bharat Bandh’s primary demands, which included the repeal of controversial labour codes, opposition to privatisation of public sector enterprises, and better social security for workers, found resonance in certain urban and rural pockets of Assam. 
Though, Guwahati seemed relatively insulated from the scale of protests seen in states like West Bengal, Punjab, or Tamil Nadu. Even Guwahati Railway Station, which is usually careful a high-impact zone during national strikes, saw no unusual delays or annulments.

Security was tautened across major connections, bus depots, and train terminals, but police officials confirmed that the day passed off quietly without any unlucky incident.

In the meantime, other districts in the state reported varying degrees of response to the Bharat Bandh. For instance, Biswanath district witnessed more intense participation, with several trade unions and farmer bodies organizing marches and blocking roads. In contrast, districts like Jorhat and Silchar, like Guwahati, stayed mostly unaffected.

Establishments had issued advisories ahead of the bandh, asking citizens to remain alert but assured that contingency measures were in place. Police patrols were visibly augmented, especially near protest-prone areas. 

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Ambulance services and emergency medical transportation were kept out of the purview of the bandh to safeguard continuous healthcare delivery. 

The state transport department also deployed a limited number of city buses on vital ways to assist daily commuters.

Guwahati remained calm and functional amid the 2025 Bharat Bandh. The only notable disruption came from the 24-hour local transport strike by Assam-based drivers’ groups, which was limited in its impact to certain neighbourhoods. Banks, postal and railway services, schools, and offices reported near-normal functioning. 

Residents moved around freely, and business operations stayed on track. Different several Indian cities that faced large-scale protests, traffic blocks, and closed shops.

For residents and commuters, it was a day marked by preparedness but ultimately free from the disorder often related with countrywide strikes.