PHULBANI: The 12-hour bandh by Kandhamal Vikas Parishad, demanding railway connectivity to the district, saw a dawn-to-dusk shutdown impacting normal life on Friday.
The bandh led to closure of shops, businesses across the district affecting transport services as well. Its impact was felt in most parts of the district including Phulbani, Baliguda, K. Nuagaon, Raikia, Kotagarh, Tumudibandha, Daringbadi, G.Udayagiri, and Tikabali.
Residents of the district are up in arms as the revised location survey map for Gopalpur-Sambalpur railway line, prepared by Odisha Rail Infrastructure Development Limited (ORIDL), reportedly omitted Phulbani town from the map. The initial survey proposed connecting Berhampur, Aska, Kandhamal and Sambalpur. However, the revised map featured a change in the route, with the line now bypassing Phulbani and connecting the Balangir-Khurda Road railway line near Madhapur via Bhanjanagar which has angered the people of the district.