Train movement on the busy Howarah-Mumbai route came to a standstill on Sunday when slum dwellers of Madhusudanpalli, Gopabandhupalli and nearby areas staged a rail roko. The slum dwellers were demanding railways to hand over the land soon as this was delaying the construction of a four lane road and laying of the water pipe line.

On Monday around 11 AM over hundred slum dwellers belonging to the above mentioned places staged a rail roko. Soon the railway officials ran to the spot and requested them to vacate the tracks. The slum dwellers had two main demands. The first was the completion of the four lane road between BSNL Main Officer here and Basanti Colony and completion of the pipeline laying in the area.

Between the stretch lies the Railway Colony and railway authorities were not allowing the construction of the road and laying of the pipeline. The divisional engineer mentioned that large railway properties would be damaged if the road and pipeline were allowed to be constructed in the railway land.

Railways had demanded Rs 107 crores from the state government to allow the construction of the said projects. And till date the issue is hanging in suspended animation. So On Monday, they staged a rail roko for over four hours.

An agitator, Sanjay Mohanty said, “we will not let this to affect our development so we want immediate address to our problem else, in coming days we will again go for such agitation.” Later on this was called off following the intervention of state secretary of BJD Ananda Mohanty.

Mohanty said, “I intervened because this might have led to law and order situation.” Besides, he also blamed the railway for the delay, “when our government has already written to them the railway is not coming for any negotiation. ARM of railway here Narendra Kumar, who immediately rushed to Rourkela Station had held a discussion with the agitators.

He assured them that he would have discussion with ADM Rourkela within three days. “Besides, we will inform this to our higher authorities within next fifteen days and some results might come out soon,” said Kumar. Ispat Express, South Bihar Express and some other trains remained stranded and rail services was badly affected.