Karnataka bandh today: Bengaluru, Belagavi brace for shutdown, what's open and what's shut. The details

An alleged assault on a KSRTC conductor in Belagavi has set off a wave of anger across Karnataka. In response, pro-Kannada groups have called for a 12-hour bandh on March 22—threatening to paralyse public transport, disrupt exams, and stall city life across the state. What began as a language dispute is now spiralling into a full-blown statewide protest.

The bandh, scheduled from 6 am to 6 pm on Saturday, is being organised by Kannada Okkoota, a coalition of pro-Kannada organisations. The protest stems from a February incident in Belagavi, where a KSRTC conductor was allegedly attacked by pro-Marathi groups for not speaking Marathi—an event that has intensified linguistic fault lines in the border region.

The shutdown is expected to disrupt daily life across Karnataka, including in Bengaluru, where public services may be affected. KSRTC and BMTC employees have expressed solidarity with the bandh call. The KSRTC drivers’ union president told South First, “BMTC buses and KSRTC services will not operate from 6 am to 6 pm on 22 March.”

Ride-hailing and auto services will also remain suspended. No Ola, Uber or auto rickshaw services will be available across Bengaluru, according to union announcements.

What’s open during the bandh:

• Metro services are expected to run normally.
• Hotels and restaurants will remain open in Bengaluru.
• Milk supply will not be affected.
• Hospitals, pharmacies, and other medical services will operate as usual.
• Fuel stations and petrol pumps will function
• Flights are expected to operate without disruption.
• Hotel and food industries will not shut operations.
• Government offices may stay open, as the Karnataka government is not supporting the bandh.

What’s closed during the bandh:

• BMTC and KSRTC buses will not operate between 6 am and 6 pm.
• Ola, Uber, taxis, and autos will remain off the roads.
• Cinema theatres and film activity are likely to be suspended.
• Banks will be closed as it is the fourth Saturday, a regular holiday.

Are schools open?
Students should note that there is no holiday, and classes will continue as scheduled. Karnataka Board exams and annual assessments in several private schools are underway and will proceed without disruption despite the bandh. The bandh organisers have issued three demands:

• Ban Marathi groups like the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES).
• Ensure protection for Kannada speakers, especially in border areas.
• Oppose the division of Bengaluru into administrative zones, citing cultural dilution.

The protest ties back to the Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute, where Maharashtra claims 865 villages, including Belagavi, Karwar, and Nippani—a claim Karnataka firmly rejects.