The demand for location of the proposed Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Odisha grew shriller in Brahmapur and Jharsuguda with both the cities observing dawn-to-dusk bandh on Saturday.
Normal life was badly-hit in the two cities with agitators picketing at different junctions and stopping vehicles from plying. While vehicular traffic remained off the roads in Brahmapur, a large number of vehicles remained stranded at different junctions in Jharsuguda with commuters having a harrowing time.
Agitators stopped movement of trains by picketing in front of the locomotives at the Brahmapur railway station. The 12-hour bandh call given by the Forum for IIM in Brahmapur is being supported by politicians from all political parties, besides the public at large.
Even housewives joined the agitation in Brahmapur with some of them picketing at the railway station. “We have left the kitchen and come here to mount pressure on the Government to establish the IIM in Brahmapur or any other location in Ganjam district. We will intensify our agitation if the Government fails to yield to our demand,” said a picketing housewife.
An agitator said, “None of the 22 national level institutions that have come up in the State have been located in Ganjam. IIM at Brahmapur or in any location in Ganjam district is our demand. We are not going to budge from our demand come what may.”
Commercial establishments, markets, schools and colleges, courts and State and Central Government offices remained closed in both the cities in response to the bandh call.
Buses went off the roads in Jharsuguda while vehicles remained parked on both sides of the roads at Beheramal Chhak, BTM Chhak, Bus Stand Chhak and Badmal Chhak as agitators blocked roads.