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The protest organised by about 50 big and small trade unions was spearheaded by Trade Unions Joint Action Committee and was supported by the Congress-affiliated INTUC, Shiv Sena-affiliated Bharatiya Kamgar Sena and RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh.
Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who also holds the home portfolio, said no major untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the state.
In Bombay, several persons were detained when they tried to block rail traffic at various suburban stations while a scribe was beaten up by Shiv Sena activists objecting to him covering the bandh, police said.
The Shiv Sena had put up big billboards in the metropolis with the appeal of its supremo Bal Thackeray, urging people to make the bandh a success and 'crush black anti-labour laws'.
The Sena's participation in the bandh, originally planned by left-oriented unions, is seen as yet another attempt by the party to warn NDA against taking it for granted and maintain pressure on policy issues.
Talking to reporters after the weekly cabinet meeting, Bhujbal said the bandh was total in Bombay, New Bombay, Thane, Pune, Nashik, Solapur, Amravati, Raigad and Kolhapur.
Stray cases of stone throwing reported from Pune where Telco employees were injured when miscreants pelted stones at a company bus. Stone throwing incidents were also reported from Nashik and Aurangabad.
In Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur, the state transport buses were completely off the roads paralysing vehicular traffic and normal life whereas in western Maharashtra's rural areas, Marathwada and Vidarbha, the bandh evoked a partial response, he informed.
In Bombay, the Western, Central and Harbour line local train services, which were disrupted in the afternoon due to rail rokos, were restored towards evening. Attempts to disrupt rail movement were made at Kalyan, Borivali, Cotton Green, Marine Lines and some other stations.
Several people had been detained in the connection.
Trade union leaders accused police of making a lathicharge at Jogeshwari and Vikhroli stations, which the police denied.
Asian Age correspondent Vaibhav Purandare, who was beaten up by a group of Shiv Sainiks near Elphinstone Road railway station, had to be hospitalised and operated upon for facial injuries.
While trains were running empty in the morning, towards evening they were beginning to get crowded.
The Bombay Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking buses remained off the roads throughout the day with only five to ten buses plying.
Bhujbal informed that stones were pelted at vehicles carrying BEST employees at seven places in Bombay between 0100 hrs and 0600 hrs (IST). Stone throwing incidents were reported in Goregaon and Malvani areas also, he added.
Agitators staged rasta rooks at various places on the Western and Eastern Express highways.
Air India, Indian Airlines and Jet Airways operated flights as per a revised schedule in view of the bandh call, airport sources said.
Passengers reported for early morning flights departing out of Bombay by all the three carriers, they said.
Streets in the metropolis and elsewhere wore a deserted look till evening with vehicles off the roads and attendance in offices and factories was negligible.
Trade and industrial activity came to a halt as employees of banks, LIC and GIC as well as workers of various factories abstained from work. Shops and establishments in the business district of south Bombay remained closed. Hotels too downed their shutters.
A Reserve Bank of India spokesperson said the apex bank worked with a skeletal staff and 'the clearing house was functional'.
Bank branches in Bombay wore a deserted look. However, Bombay and National Stock Exchanges remained largely unaffected.
Trading activity came to a virtual standstill at the inter-bank foreign exchange market. Dealing rooms at banks wore deserted look as a major chunk of the labour force were unable to reach their workplace due to disruption of rail and road traffic.
All India Port & Dock Workers' Federation (workers) president Shanti Patel said work at Bombay and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust had come to a standstill.
Later, on Wednesday evening, senior Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray told reporters the bandh was called off at 1800 hours following its 'total success'.
Agencies
EARLIER REPORTS Life Comes to a Standstill in Bombay Bombay's streets deserted Near total bandh in Nashik
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