Strike called by private bus operators in the Palakkad-Thrissur route was total as no bus plied on the route on Thursday. Only local buses operated from Palakkad to Vadakkencherry.
Unlike people in Palakkad town who can depend on trains, commuters of the interior areas of Alathur, Vadakkencherry, Chittur and other locations were put to hardship.
The KSRTC, however, operated its services between Palakkad and Thrissur.
Around 80 private buses plying on the Palakkad-Thrissur route, 25 buses plying on the Govindapuram-Thrissur route and another 25 buses plying on the Thrissur-Kozhinjampara route came to a grinding halt.
T Gopinath, general secretary of the Kerala State Bus Operators Organisation, said they would not ply on Friday also and if either the NHAI or the PWD do not begin the road repair work immediately, private buses operating in Palakkad and Thrissur districts will go on strike.
Meanwhile, traffic restrictions were imposed on NH-47 due to some repair works that will begin on Friday.
The work will take a week to be over, SP Rajpal Meena said.