A few NGOs and political parties played the role of good samaritans, by arranging food and transport to the needy and stranded, due to the non-availability of eateries and vehicles, as all buses, taxis and auto rickshaws remained off the road today, as a mark of respect to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, who passed away in Chennai last night.

Sensing inconvenience to the public and also those arriving to the city, Jamaat E Hind arranged free transport services to the people stranded at railway station, bus stand and also other strategic points, due to non-availability of vehicles since last night.

Auto rickshaws and omni vans were pressed into service, displaying free transport board from these places till the early hours of today, its propaganda secretary, Abdul Hakim said.

Similarly, the organisation, with the assistance of volunteers of Welfare party of India (WPI) and Students Islamic Organisation, arranged for food from this morning for the needy near Government Hospital and nearby areas.

The volunteers also distributed food packets, specially prepared by them to police personnel on duty, including those from RAF and other para-military forces.

“Some 30 girl students of Bharathiar University on the outskirts, wanted to go to Kerala, but were stranded and Jamaat arranged for vehicles, picked them up and dropped at railway station,” Hakim said.

Meanwhile, another NGO, Food Bank also arranged for food to the stranded police personnel across the city, deployed for duty. The organisation has appealed to the people to send any quantity of food to a particular place, from there, it distributed to the police and other needy persons, particularly those coming from outside the city.