Bhubaneswar, Sep 5: Demanding early completion of the 30-kilometre long coal corridor from Bankibahal to Bhedabahal in Odisha's Sundergarh district, local villagers staged a road blockade on Tuesday.
According to reports, as a fallout of the road blockade transportation of coal from Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) was seriously affected. The protesting locals blocked road traffic at Barapali Square bringing hundreds of vehicles, including trucks used for coal transportation, to a standstill, sources informed.
There was no traffic movement for hours as the vehicles remained stranded on both sides of the road. If their demands are not met, the locals threatened to continue their protests till indefinite period, sources further stated.
Worth mentioning that the road construction work for the coal corridor started in 2020. But it remained shut for last six months, creating severe resentment among the local residents. Recently, the locals had staged a protest in front of the office of the Sundergarh Collector to press their demand, sources added.
