TV
The 12-hour Odisha Bandh called by Congress severely disrupted rail services across the state on Thursday, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and more than 20 trains either halted or delayed.
The protest, triggered by the death of a girl student of FM College in Balasore, disrupted train services at several key junctions, including Bhubaneswar, Khurda Road, Bhadrak, and Puri.
Train Services Disrupted Statewide
Sources cited railway officials and reported that long-distance and express trains were held up at multiple locations due to large-scale picketing by protestors on railway tracks.
At Bhubaneswar Railway Station, angry and anxious passengers waited in long queues with little information on train movement. Several protestors tried to break into the station but were held back by security forces. Similar scenes unfolded at Puri, where several scheduled trains failed to depart.
In Bhadrak, Congress supporters and affiliated groups, including women’s organisations, blocked tracks near key rail crossings. Visuals from the area showed demonstrators waving flags and shouting slogans, effectively halting all train movement in the region.
Pilgrims from Gwalior Stranded on Highway
The bandh’s reach extended beyond train stations to highways and roads, where travellers also bore the brunt of the protest.
A group of pilgrims from Gwalior, en route to Puri, were left stranded near Banta Chowk in Bhadrak district along National Highway 16. The group, unaware of the bandh prior to travel, found themselves stuck without access to basic facilities, said reports.
Shops Closed, Markets Silent
Shutters remained down across major markets and shops in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, as well as across major cities like Sambalpur and Rourkela. Local participation was bolstered by women-led organisations and left-aligned parties, who joined Congress in calling for action against those responsible for the Balasore tragedy.
The bandh has been marked by widespread disruption, especially for essential commuters and long-distance travellers. In several districts, roads were deserted, and public transport stayed off the streets, compounding the hardship.
