Odisha villagers stage Rail Roko demanding underpass

For the people of Mundar and Tiadiput in Badsu panchayat under Koraput sadar block, life has always been fraught with danger from the train track on the village outskirts, as they have to cross the railway line every day.

They have been demanding the construction of two underpasses at the place for safe passage for a long time.

As nothing happened to their demand, scores of villagers resorted to ‘rail roko’ for four hours on Monday and squatted on the Koraput-Vishakhapatnam railway line.

The agitating people alleged that though they raised their demand for an underpass, the administration and the railway authorities have turned a deaf ear. They lamented that small mishaps continue to happen while crossing the line.

One of the agitating residents said, “The administration is not taking any step for communication, even though we had earlier met the Collector. The Collector had assured us to take steps for road connectivity, but little has been done.”

A woman protestor fumed, “Where is the road for us to commute safely. The administration is not doing anything to sort out our perennial problem." 

Additional Tehsildar Kanhu Patnaik said, "A meeting chaired by the sub-collector was held on March 1. The local residents demanded two underpasses as they faced commuting woes. The administration has assured that a survey will be conducted for the underpasses in seven days and DPRs will be prepared and submitted to the railway authorities.”

Following an assurance from the administration, the agitating people relented.