Public transport, educational institutions, the banking sector and other business establishments functioned normally as the bandh, supported by the state's main opposition party AIADMK and its allies, did not affect normal life, police said.
Rail services were not affected till 0900 hours. "All trains coming to the city were on time," railway sources said.
However, four Kolkata-bound flights were cancelled following the strike in Left-ruled West Bengal, airport sources said, adding flights to other cities remained unaffected.
Security has been stepped up at important places like railway stations, power units, high court premises and telephone exchanges, police said.
The state government has warned of stringent action against those indulging in violence and damaging public property.
District authorities said they have taken steps for smooth supply of commodities and maintenance of essential services. Only a few shops were seen closed as traders' bodies have not supported the bandh. A section of autorickshaws, owing allegiance to some Left unions, kept off the roads.
In neighbouring Puducherry, shops remain closed and private buses were off the roads.
All private buses, inter-state services and autorickshaws were off the roads. Police were deployed in strength at all vantage points. Government-run buses plied as usual.
The flow of traffic was less than normal in most parts of the city and suburbs.
Attendance in government offices was normal, officials claimed.
Volunteers of various trade unions owing allegiance to the Left parties and the AIADMK and BJP held demonstrations in some areas.
Scores of Left party workers who tried to stage protests were arrested from different areas in the city, police said.
At Central station here, CPI(M) MLA K Mahendran and around 300 volunteers of the party, CPI and All India Forward Bloc were arrested when they tried to stage a demonstration.
Police said another 300 CPI(M) workers were picked up from Guindy railway station when they tried to stage a rail blockade on the busy Chennai Beach-Tambaram suburban electric line.