Chennai, Jan 5 (IANS): Thousands of people were left stranded across Tamil Nadu as government buses went off the roads on Friday morning following an indefinite strike called by more than 40 trade unions, officials said.

The strike was called after the unions and Transport Minister M.R. Vijayabaskar failed to reach a settlement despite several rounds of talks over pending salaries and settlement of benefits to retired staff.

Members of trade unions affiliated to the ruling AIADMK, however, operated some bus services.

A senior official from the Transport department said private buses were also engaged to fulfil the passenger demand. He said the authorities had decided to engage private bus drivers and conductors to operate government buses.

Although the strike began in most places on Friday, the crew deserted their posts on Thursday night in places like Trichy, Madurai, Dindigul, Tirunveveli and Ramanathapuram.

Authorities have beefed up the security in Chennai and deployed more than 20,000 police personnel around bus depots. The police have said they will take stringent action against those disrupting operational bus services.