Bolangir: Normal life came to a grinding halt in Bolangir district Monday following the 24-hour bandh called by the lawyers’ association and Central Action Committee (CAC) demanding a permanent bench of the Orissa High Court.
Various political and social organisations of the district have extended support to the bandh. Shops, educational institutions, government and non-government offices, business establishments and markets remained closed due to the shutdown. However, emergency services have been exempted from the purview of the 24-hour bandh.
Earlier, the Sambalpur Bar Association along with other organisations had observed a 48-hour Maha Bandh November 29 and 30 for the establishment of a permanent HC bench in western Odisha.
The agitating lawyers who had not joined the stir had announced of a separate bandh. They started the rally Monday morning and staged ‘rail roko’ at Bolangir railway station and halted trains. Many passenger trains that were scheduled to pass through the Bolangir railway station have been either been cancelled, partially cancelled or diverted in view of the bandh.
People had harrowing time over the bandh. “I work in Sambalpur and was going to office. But had to return as there were no trains or buses,” a resident said. Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition and senior leader Narasingha Mishra has extended his support to the bandh.
Eight platoons of police including 40 officers have been deployed in and across the town to ensure a peaceful bandh, informed Bolangir SDPO Khir Sagar Nayak.
Similarly, lawyers in Patnagarh also observed bandh and staged picketing in several key locations of the town. Similarly, bandh was also observed in Kantabanji.
Trains Cancelled:
18006 Jagadalpur-Howrah Samaleswari Express from Jagadalpur December 3.
12872 Titlagarh-Howrah Ispat Express from Titlagarh December 3
18301/18302 Sambalpur-Rayagada-Sambalpur Inter City from both the directions December 3.
58528 Visakhapatnam-Raipur passenger express from Visakhapatnam December 3
Trains Partially Cancelled:
12893 Bhubaneswar-Balangir Inter City Express from Bhubaneswar December 3 will run between Bhubaneswar and Sambalpur-Angul and will remain cancelled between Sambalpur-Angul and Balangir from both the directions.
58530 Visakhapatnam-Durg passenger express from Visakhapatnam December 2 will run between Visakhapatnam and Rayagada and will remain cancelled between Rayagada and Durg from both the directions.
Trains Diverted:
18425 Puri-Durg Express from Puri December 2 will run on diverted route via Sambalpur-Ib-Bilaspur-Raipur.
17482 Tirupati-Bilaspur Express from Tirupati-Bilaspur December 2 will run via Khurda Road-Angul-Sambalpur City and Ib
18408 Sainagar Shirdi-Puri Express from Shirdi December 2 will run via Raipur-Bilaspur-Ib-Sambalpur-Angul.
22827 Puri-Surat Express from Puri December 2 will run via Sambalpur-Ib-Bilaspur-Raipur.
The passengers, who were unaware of the bandh scheduled today, were found on the platforms inside the station waiting for the trains.
Earlier, the Balangir lawyers’ association had announced for 24-hour bandh December 3 in the district without joining the 48-hour ‘Maha Bandh’ November 29 and 30 observed by the Sambalpur Bar Association and CAC over setting up of a permanent bench of the High Court in western Odisha.
PNN