A bandh called by Maoists to protest against the Polavaram irrigation project of Andhra Pradesh affected vehicular movement in Malkangiri district on Friday.
Buses of the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC), due to security reasons, stayed off the roads putting the passengers into great inconvenience. Hundreds of passengers were stranded at different places and waited for hours to reach their destinations.
Private buses and other vehicles also did not operate, compounding the woes of the commuters.
“I have been waiting for a bus at the bus stand since 6.30 am. But I am told that the service has been suspended today. Rain has worsened the situation,” said a passenger.
“I did not know of the bandh, else I would not have left home,” said another passenger, who was stranded at the bus depot for long hours.
The Red rebels, who have been opposing the Polavaram project and Malkangiri district’s Gurupriya bridge, put up posters and banners at different places asking locals to observe the shutdown.
The district administration tightened security by deploying additional police forces and intensified frisking of vehicles in the area in view of the bandh.