Kushalnagar: The Kushalnagar bandh called today by Cauvery Taluk Horata Kendriya Samiti demanding the formation of Cauvery Taluk with Kushalnagar as its headquarters, was total and peaceful.

As part of the bandh, schools, colleges and all other educational institutions in the town and 19 Gram Panchayats falling under Kushalnagar limits were closed for the day. Also, commercial establishments, petrol bunks and other business enterprises remained closed as the Kushalnagar Chamber of Commerce supported the bandh call. Private buses, taxis, cabs, autos, vans and other public transport vehicles were off the roads.

However, the KSRTC service was not disrupted as the Police prevented the protesters from stopping the service. Buses moved freely towards Bengaluru, Mysuru, Madikeri, Somwarpet and surrounding areas. Only a few of the buses had to face traffic jams as protesters squatted on the roads.

Hundreds of protesters from Kushalnagar and surrounding villages blocked the ever-busy Mysuru-Madikeri Highway at Koppa Gate and the Police counselled the protesters to allow vehicles to ply on the road.

Many associations and organisations, including Taxi & Auto Unions, Private Bus Owners Association had extended full support to the bandh called for formation of Cauvery Taluk. There were no untoward incidents reported from anywhere in Kushalnagar Hobli limits.

Samiti President V.P. Shashidhar, Kushalnagar Chamber of Commerce President Amrit Raj led the protesters. In the evening, a procession will be taken out demanding the taluk formation from Koppa Gate and the procession will pass through the main thoroughfares of the city.

The demand for a separate Cauvery Taluk with headquarters at Kushalnagar has been growing over the years since residents find travelling 27km to Somwarpet to get their work done to be a waste of time.

Following the neglect from the State Government, members of various pro-people organisations formed Cauvery Taluk Horata Samithi under the presidentship of former ZP member V.P. Shashidhar. The committee even prepared the map of new Cauvery Taluk comprising 19 Gram Panchayat areas and formed village committees.