Greece's government put an end on Friday to a nine-day anti-austerity mobilization of public metro workers, as police stormed a train depot in central Athens, dispersing a sit-in protest by strikers.

Subway employees started to return to their posts from Friday noon under a civil mobilization order call and the threat of arrest and dismissal, however the Greek capital remained gripped in traffic chaos, as other personnel in public transport continued protests over paycuts.

In addition, heavy rainfall deteriorated the situation.

As metro services resumed, bus drivers and employees in other modes of transport continued work stoppages in solidarity with the metro workers. Unionists warned with more turbulance in coming days, as hundreds of strikers marched to the parliament under heavy rain.

Government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou stressed that "the government will enforce the law" so that commuters and businesses will not suffer any more.

Greece has been hit regurarly by paralyzing strikes since the start of the acute debt crisis in late 2009. Unions and several ordinary Greeks protest over the harsh austerity measures introduced to face the crisis which have increased unemployment, recession and declined living standards.

However, without such painful policies, Greece could not secure vital multi-billion euro loans from European Union and International Monetary Fund lenders to avert a chaotic default and return to growth next year, according to estimates.