DSP (East) P K Dhawan said: “Their plan was to block the Madhya Marg in a big way.”

Anticipating disruption of rail traffic, heavy police deployment was made at the railway station too.

“A special Government Railway Police reserve of around 24 officers was on duty throughout the day. Personnel were called in form Ambala too,” said GRP SHO Inspector Teerath Ram.

Autorickshaws operators from the tricity, meanwhile, assembled at the Circus Ground in Sector 17, Chandigarh, and staged a demonstration.

“We had meetings with Additional Deputy Commissioner Captain P S Shergill today. There was no outcome as the Administration did not want to budge. We will continue with the strike,” said Joint Action Committee chairman Kamala Kant.

Shergill said: “The demands of the drivers could not be met. They wanted to meet the Home Secretary who left for Delhi today for an official assignment and will be back on Friday.”

With autorickshaws off roads, commuters continued to face inconvenience. Students who go to school by autorickshaws were the worst hit. Parents could be seen ferrying their children to school. Others travelled by local buses or cyclerickshaws.

“I cannot take a leave every day because I have to drop my children to school. These people should be wise enough to settle their differences without causing any trouble to the commuters,” said Renuka Sihag, a resident of Panchkula.

Students of government schools, which reopen on Friday, are likely to suffer more.

Since these schools don’t have buses, most students depend on autos.