Odisha Bandh / Uneven Shutdown: Odisha Bandh Disrupts Transport in Pockets, Normalcy Elsewhere

Bhubaneswar, Oct 8: The 12‑hour Odisha bandh, called by the Congress on Thursday, disrupted life across several districts, causing transport delays, market closures, and inconvenience for commuters and students. The impact, however, was uneven with some areas witnessing near‑normal activity.

While traffic movement in Bhubaneswar remained largely unaffected, incidents of obstruction and inconvenience were reported in Sundaragada, Kalahandi, and Nayagada.

In the capital city, schools, shops, and markets opened as usual, and vehicles moved normally across Ram Mandir Square, Power House Square, CRP Square, and Baramunda Bus Stand.

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However, bus services faced partial disruption as bandh supporters blocked routes in certain areas, forcing passengers to disembark and walk to their destinations.

The bandh, supposed to be peaceful, instead revealed troubling images of lawlessness and disregard for humanitarian concerns.

A disturbing scene unfolded in Kendrapara district at the Hansua river bridge during the Odisha bandh. Congress workers, while sealing the bridge around 9 AM as part of the Bharat Bandh, refused to allow passage even to patients.

Several patients, including elderly women, were stranded on the bridge. Some were seen struggling with broken limbs, while others with head injuries wrapped in cloth tried desperately to reach hospitals.

Children and college students too were caught in the blockade, facing immense hardship. The incident has raised serious questions about whether Congress has ignored basic humanity in its protest.

As the hours passed, the true picture of the agitation emerged — scenes of intimidation and disruption. During the bandh, protesters blocked ambulances, snatched ID cards from doctors, and misbehaved with a father accompanying his daughter to school.

A disturbing incident was reported from Sundaragada, where bandh supporters allegedly blocked two ambulances and a hearse near Rani Bagicha and Bijay Pattnayak Chowk. The vehicles, carrying bodies from a hospital, were forced to turn back, drawing sharp criticism for the inhuman act.

Elsewhere, agitators vandalized cars, displayed hooliganism, and clashed with police. Reports of scuffles and manhandling of officers came from NH‑16 near College Square, where protesters turned violent.

In Kalahandi district, Congress workers led by local leaders staged protests from 6 AM, blocking NH‑130C at Dharmagada and NH‑26 near Koksara police station. Bus services were halted, and passengers were compelled to continue their journeys on foot. Students too faced difficulties, with some forced to walk long distances to reach schools after buses were stopped midway.

Nayagada witnessed partial impact of the bandh. Shops and business establishments remained closed in the morning, and traffic was disrupted due to road blockades and picketing.

Reports indicate that vehicular movement has already returned to normal and markets have reopened, signalling a gradual restoration of daily life after the bandh. Essential services such as hospitals, ambulances, fire services, and medicine shops were exempted from the bandh.

The bandh, observed from 6 AM to 6 PM, highlighted the vulnerability of public life during such shutdowns. While Congress claimed success in enforcing the strike, BJP refuted the claims saying the bandh was ineffective.