With a seven-point charter of demands, at least 1,500 members of Brajrajnagar Citizen Committee staged a rail roko at Brajrajnagar railway station.
The rail roko lasted for more than eight hours starting at 7'o clock in morning to 3'o clock afternoon. Seeing the huge gathering at the station, the administration and police made elaborate arrangement to keep law and order.
Many trains were lying stranded on various stations and several passengers were affected due to the agitation. Jharsuguda — Gondia passenger train was cancelled. However, Howarh —Ahmadabad Express was lying stranded at Jharsuguda Railway Station, Puri- Haridwar Express at Bamra Station, Amritsar - Visakhapatnam at Raigarh, Nander -Santragachi Super Fast Exress at Kharsia and Doranto Express at Rourkela due to the rail roko.
“We demand stoppage of Howarh Azad Hind Pune Express and Bhubaneswar-Hatia lTT Express at Brajrajnagar and drinking water facility in the station. Besides, we demand that no goods train stays in the platform causing inconveniences to the passengers,” said Brajrajnagar MlA Radha Rani Panda.
Similarly, chairman of lift Irrigation Corporation and BJD’s Anup Sai was also seen with the agitators.
South Eastern Central Railway ADRM of Bilaspur division SK Solanki gave a written assurance saying that all seven demands will be put forth before the railway board meeting on January 15. Especially the stoppage of Azad Hind Express and renovation of Madhusudhan Nagar flyover will be given top priority, he clarified. later, the rail blockade was lifted.
Among others, who joined the strike, were Brajrajnagar Citizen Committee president S Rawlani, Municipality chairman Nanda Kishore Agrawal and Town Congress president Pramod Panda.