​​​​​​​Sonepur, Oct 24: Normal life came to a standstill in Subalaya town under Birmaharajpur block of Odisha’s Subarnapur district today as local residents observed a 12-hour bandh from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., demanding Notified Area Council (NAC) status.

The bandh was called by the Subalaya NAC Kriyanusthan Committee, which has been pressing for the official recognition of Subalaya as an NAC.

The protesters claimed that while the previous state government had granted the Notified Area Council (NAC) status to Subalaya, the new administration failed to declare the same. Frustrated by the government’s lack of action, angry residents have taken to the streets demanding that the NAC status be reinstated.

Committee members and local residents took to the streets, raising slogans and staging demonstrations at various locations in the town. Only emergency services were exempted from the shutdown.

Shops, markets, educational institutions, and transport services remained completely shut throughout the day.

The bandh also disrupted vehicular movement on key routes, including the Sonepur–Redhakhol–Sambalpur road, leaving traffic stranded for several hours.