The figure is more than what we run everyday. But the number of passengers were significantly low,' state transport department principal secretary Sumantra Chowdhury said.

He said the government had increased the frequency of the ferry service between Howrah and Kolkata from eight to 12.

Slogan-shouting protesters were seen moving around in groups in the morning, and allegedly damaged a few taxis in the southern part of the city.

Chowdhury said the police were keeping a close watch on the situation after the unpleasant incidents.

Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court rejected a plea by one of the striking bus operators - Bengal bus Syndicate - to extend the deadline, describing as supreme the right of citizens to breathe pollution-free air.

A division Bench of Chief Justice S.S. Nijjar and Justice B. Somadder also turned down a prayer by environment activist Subhas Datta for an early hearing of the prayer by the bus owners. State Transport Minister Subhas Chakraborty said the government would impose the court order and ban all old commercial vehicles from Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA) as per the court directive.

The Calcutta High Court July 2008 ordered a ban on commercial vehicles registered before Jan 1, 1993, from Kolkata and its outskirts. It said the order should be implemented by Dec 31, 2008. The Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA) includes parts of North and South 24-Parganas, Howrah and Hooghly districts.

Later, the date for imposing the ban was put off till July 31, 2009, following a state government plea.

The state government decided to phase out old vehicles from July 25 to implement the court order.