Odisha Bandh Disrupts Normal Life; Transport, Mining Operations Hit
Normal life was disrupted across Odisha on Thursday as the Congress-led INDIA bloc enforced a 12-hour statewide bandh, with buses and autorickshaws staying off the roads, shops and markets remaining closed and road and mining operations affected at several places.
Bhubaneswar: Normal life was disrupted across Odisha on Thursday as the Congress-led INDIA bloc enforced a 12-hour statewide bandh, with buses and autorickshaws staying off the roads, shops and markets remaining closed and road and mining operations affected at several places.
The bandh, observed from 6 am to 6 pm, was called over four major demands — withdrawal of the MMDR Amendment Act, 2026, resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the electoral roll revision, resignation of school and mass education minister Nityananda Gond over alleged errors in school textbooks, and immediate relief for flood-affected families.
The impact was particularly visible in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Bhadrak and several other districts.
In the capital, protesters blocked roads at several locations, while bus and autorickshaw movement came to a halt at Master Canteen.
Additional police personnel were deployed across the city, with around 18 platoons and 100 officers kept ready to maintain law and order.
Public transport remained the biggest casualty.
Although the state private bus owners’ association had not extended support to the bandh, services were disrupted at several places amid picketing and road blockades.
The Nikhila Utkal Auto Chalak Sangha kept autorickshaws off the roads, citing security concerns.
Several passengers were left stranded.
In Cuttack, a group of five persons who had visited Puri said they could not return home after finding no buses.
A surgeon heading to Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar was also reportedly stopped by protesters before being allowed to proceed after explaining that he had scheduled surgeries.
The bandh had a major impact on the mining belt of Sundargarh.
At Koida, protesters blocked the main intersection, halting mineral transportation from several mines.
Railway sidings remained closed and goods trains were reportedly stopped, while mining operations, shops and markets were shut.
In Malkangiri, schools, shops and markets remained closed and vehicular movement was disrupted across all seven blocks.
In Sambalpur, women Congress leaders adopted an unusual form of picketing at the Collectorate, handing flowers to employees and urging them to stop work.
PCC president Bhakta Charan Das claimed the bandh had received widespread public support, while BJP leaders alleged that Congress workers were forcing people to participate.
“We are thankful to the people of Odisha for extending whole-hearted support to our bandh call.
It implies that they are with us to protect the democratic values of the country,” said Das.
Essential services, including hospitals, ambulances, fire and rescue services, medicine shops, milk supply, examinations and media operations, remained exempt from the shutdown.
Photograph: Congress-led INDIA bloc workers stage a protest in Bhubaneswar on Thursday during the observance of the party’s 12-hour bandh call in Odisha.
