BALASORE: The district administration on Saturday imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC at Markona station following a rail roko by locals demanding halting of express trains.
Sources said, train services on the South Eastern Railway (SER) have been affected due to the strike. While Bhadrak-Puri passenger train was halted at Markona due to the blockade, Howrah-Puri Dhauli Express has been detained at Balasore station.
Locals who have been staging dharna for the last two days under the banner of Simulia Nagarika Manch staged a rail roko at the station protesting the apathetic attitude of SER authorities.
The locals have been demanding halting of Howrah-Puri Dhauli Express, Howrah-Puri Jagannath Express and Puri-New Delhi Utkal Express, extension of Kharagpur-Balasore passenger till Bhadrak and Palasa-Bhadrak passenger till Balasore besides development of the railway station and drinking water and toilet facilities.
The manch members alleged that though they had submitted an 11-point charter of demands to SER authorities long back, no step has been take yet. The manch also observed Simulia bandh on Saturday. Educational institutions were closed, business establishments had downed their shutters supporting the bandh.