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Strike shuts down Bangalore
India's tech hub falls silent for a day...

By Reuters

Published: Wednesday 04 October 2006

Operations of global software companies, financial institutions and government offices in India's main technology hub ground to a halt on Wednesday after activists called a strike over a border dispute with a neighbouring state.

The 12-hour stoppage in Bangalore, the capital of the southern state of Karnataka, was called by groups disputing claims by next-door Maharashtra over a small border town.

L Byrappa, president of the Karnataka Government Employee's Association, told Reuters: "The strike is going on very well all across the state. All works in government departments have come to a complete standstill."

The streets of Bangalore, home to more than 1,500 Indian and multinational tech companies such as IBM, Intel and Microsoft, were deserted as companies and shops shut down, schools closed and traffic was sparse.

A spokeswoman for Infosys Technology, India's second largest software services exporter, said the company had closed its three software development facilities in Karnataka.

She said: "We have closed offices as a precautionary measure. Work would not be impacted as we have decided to work on Saturday, 14 October to compensate today's leave."

Offices of Bangalore-based Wipro, India's third-largest software exporter, were also closed.

BS Sial, the state's police chief, said arrangements had been made across the state to prevent violence.

Bangalore shut down for two days in April as people rioted following the death of film icon Rajkumar, leaving eight people dead. Software companies lost $40m in revenue.

Karnataka and Maharashtra have been embroiled in a battle over Belgaum town - 500km north of Bangalore - and other towns and villages for years as part of a long-running border dispute.