Bhubaneswar/Cuttack, Nov. 28: Traffic in the twin cities was thin but protests against demonetisation failed to affect the common man in any significant way.

As many as five Left parties and the Congress had called for protests today.

All business establishments and private organisations remained open, while educational institutions were closed as a precautionary measure. Buses and autorickshaws were seen plying on the roads as usual.

The main protests in Bhubaneswar were held in front of the Reserve Bank of India's Bhubaneswar office. Activists of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (Citu) took out a procession from Master Canteen Square and staged a demonstration in front of the RBI office.

Congress leaders also took out a procession from the state Congress headquarters at Master Canteen Square to the RBI office. Addressing party workers there, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Prasad Harichandan said: "This (the demonetisation exercise) is an undeclared emergency by the Narendra Modi government. People are suffering a lot because of the NDA government's decision."

"We have not called a bandh, but have decided to observe the day as Akrosh Divas. It is Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who spread the message of bandh. We protested against the ban on Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes - which led to a nationwide financial crisis," PCC spokesperson Sarat Rout said.

The stretch from Acharya Vihar Square to the Capital Hospital, a busy one, did not see heavy traffic today.

Both Left parties and the Congress picketed in front of the main branch of State Bank of India in Bhubaneswar. Activists burnt an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Although the protests were peaceful, some shops remained closed during the day while some opened later than usual. Sanjay Swain, 54, a grocery shop owner at Kharavela Nagar, said he opened his shop at 12.30pm.

"I did not want to take any chances. But, when I saw that there was no effect of the protests on markets, I opened my shop," he said.

In Cuttack, too, the protest against demonetisation evo-ked little response. Barring educational institutions such as schools and colleges, all banks, post offices and ot-her government offices functioned smoothly.

Major commercial centres such as Malgodown, Chhatrabazaar, Choudhry Bazaar and other markets as well as petrol pumps and shopping malls remained open. The Cuttack Nagar Congress today staged a demonstration in front of the Cuttack collectorate against the "unplanned" demonetisation drive.

Congress leaders alleged that the scrapping of 500 and 1,000 rupee notes had adversely affected the common man and people had been forced to run from pillar to post to withdraw their own money.

"Day-to-day activities were not affected as the entire public transport system, including buses and autorickshaws, functioned as usual. However, as schools and colleges were closed, there were fewer people on the roads till noon," said Kishore Das, a commuter.

Das said that as the banks had reopened after a holiday of two days, many people had queued up in front of the banks to withdraw cash.

"Most ATMs had run out of cash on Saturday evening, while the remaining machines were only dispensing Rs 2,000 notes. I have had trouble meeting petty expenses in the past 48 hours," said Badambadi resident Siddhart Swain.

Litigants hit

Litigants were affected as lawyers of Orissa High Court and other lower courts stayed away from the court citing "inconvenience" because of the strike call.

High Court Bar Association secretary Umesh Chandra Behura said: "We resolved not to attend court today anticipating possible inconvenience for lawyers to reach the court due to the bandh call. However, our absence should not be construed as support for the bandh".

Hundreds of cases, including a large number of bail pleas and anticipatory bail applications, did not get a hearing as proceedings were paralysed at the high court.

Hearing on the case of validity of the Ravenshaw University's January 29 advertisement inviting applications for 159 posts of professors, readers and lecturers could not be taken up. On April 5, the court had imposed restrictions on the selection process and was to take up the case today.