Blockade hit railway service

Three long-distance trains were cancelled and several others diverted or short terminated as rail traffic on Howrah-Mumbai trunk route was disrupted for hours due to a blockade at Bondamunda and Rourkela stations under Chakradharpur Division of South Eastern Railway.
An economic blockade was organised by 'Adivasi and Mulavasi Bachao Manch' protesting against the government move to upgrade Rourkela Municipality to a corporation.
An SER release in Jamshedpur said the cancelled trains are 12262 Howrah-CSTM Duronto Express tomorrow, 12871 Howrah-Titlagarh Ispat Express scheduled to leave Howrah tomorrow and 18109 Rourkela-Jammu Tawai Link Express today.
Shops and business establishments were shut in several areas following the blockade call and train services were disrupted as agitators squatted on the tracks.

There was, however, little impact on road traffic in the city and nearby areas due to the presence of additional platoons of police.
George Tirky, the MLA Biramitrapur who is spearheading the agitation, said the blockade with continue. "We will force the government to drop the plan to give corporation status to Rourkela," he said.

Adivasi and Mulabasi Bachao Manch claimed that the government declaration of including nearby Jghatarang and Jagda gram panchayats and Nabakrishnanagar in Rourkela Municipality was illegal as Sundergarh is a scheduled district and therefore the move was against the constitution and should be stopped.
Meanwhile, the train diverted included 12810 Howrah-Mumbai Mail, 12834 Howrah-Ahmedabad Express, 12906 Howrah-Porbander Okha Express (diverted via Tata-Chandil-Muri- Barkakana-Garwa Road-Chopan-New Katni- Jabalpur-Itarsi- Jalgaon), 12221 Pune-Howrah Duranto Express (diverted via Sambalpur-Angul-Kapilas Road-Bhadrak-Kharagpu, 18005 Howrah- Koraput Express (diverted via Bhadrak-Kapilas Road-Angul- Sambalpur), 12130 Howrah-Pune Azad Hind Express (diverted via Kharagpur-Bhadrak-Kapilas Road-Angul-Sambalpur-Jharsuguda), 12262 Howrah-Mumbai Duronto Express (diverted via Dangoaposi- Jaroli-Kapilas Road-Angul-Sambalpur-Jharsuguda-Bilaspur), etc.

Trains Short Terminated included 18030 Shalimar- Lokmanya Tilak Express (short terminated at Ghatsila), 12871 Howrah-Titlagarh Ispat Express (will return as 12872 from Bisra to Howrah, the release added.