BARIPADA: Normal life came to a grinding halt on Friday due to a 12-hour bandh called by Mayubhanj Mukti Morcha in the Kaptipada sub-division and its adjoining areas in the Mayurbhanj district demanding rail and road connectivity between Balasore and Baripada.
Government and private educational institutions, business establishments, vehicular services, private organizations, judiciary and petrol bunks remained closed from 6 am to 6 pm supporting the demand for a railway connection from Nilagiri of Balasore district to Baripada via Kaptipada.
Commuters from various destinations were held up at Kaptipada, Udala, Khunta and Dukura and other bus terminals for several hours due to the bandh as protesters were seen picketing at major junctions. The trade unions of Kaptipada, Udala, Dukura and Khunta areas also pledged support to the bandh.
Leader of the morcha Dharamraj Hansdah and BJP MLA of Udala constituency Bhaskar Madhei said since 75 years of Independence, the Kaptipada sub-division has been deprived of many government facilities in comparison to the other three sub-divisions of the district. Located far away on one side of the district, the officers and political leaders are not paying heed to the all-around development of the sub-division, they alleged.
People are facing an uphill task as far as transport and communication from Kaptipada are concerned. They are dependent on private-run buses and other vehicles to visit the district headquarters in Baripada, Karanjia, Rairangpur or even outside.
The private bus services are expensive. Besides, without proper communication facilities, people in the area are deprived of a good source of income and this can be enhanced with railway connectivity, said the protesters. Udala SDPO Sarthak Ray said that no untoward incident was reported during the bandh.