More than 500 people, daring the torrential rain, formed a ‘human chain’ on the Fatak/Sambalpur Road railway station situated in the heart of the city near GM University protesting the notification of permanent closure of the station.
The shops and commercial organisations near the station also kept their shutter down to protest the closure notification.
Notably the 125-year-old station, the oldest one here, caters to the needs of more than 80 percent rail users of the city. People across the district as well as other parts of western Odisha also use the station due to its location and suitable road connectivity from all places. But the Railways has been trying to close it since long in the name of development and construction of more tracks towards Jharsuguda and Talcher routes.
But the common people here and the rail users argue that this could be also possible without closing the station. ‘Since railway officials are determined to close it and not to accept any constructive proposal of the public, the residents here are also ready to protest such an anti-population decision to keep the station functional,” said resident near the station area Golak Bihari Mishra.
“The station has not only historic importance as none other than the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi had landed here during the freedom movement, but also it is used by 80 per cent of the passengers of the city and district. At the same time, the livelihoods of many people depend on the station. Hence, closure of the station will have adverse impact on passengers and people depending on it for livelihood," said social activist fighting for revival of the station Sapan Mishra.
Can the Railways close any station in any other part of the country that is used by a vast majority, he asked.
“The Railways is taking our simplicity as our weakness, but it should not commit that mistake as we will never allow it to happen,” Mishra and many others warned.
It needs further mention that Sambalpur MP Nitesh Ganga Dev and Rajya Sabha MP Prasanna Acharya have demanded in the Parliament to revive the station and drop the idea of its closure.
Ganga Dev has demanded to convert it to a ‘heritage station’ instead of closing it as Odisha is celebrating centenary of Gandhiji’s arrival in the State.
Massive police forces were deployed in the station and all over Fatak area to avert any untoward situation as people here are quite dissatisfied with Railway’s decision.