Post News Network
Cuttack, August 3: A dawn-to-dusk bandh called by Cuttack Bachao Andolan and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) protesting the exclusion of the Millennium City from the list of proposed Smart Cities was a partial success with traders, transporters and several educational institutions supporting the agitation Monday.
The bandh was by and large peaceful, sources said.
Members of CBA assembled at Rajabagicha and took out a motorcycle rally seeking public support for the Smart City tag. The rally covered Badambadi, Link Road, OMP Square, College Square, Mangalabag, Buxibazar, Chandnichowk, Deulasahi, CDA, Khannagar and Gopalpur areas.
Protesters forcibly closed shops, vegetable markets and offices seeking to bring the city to a standstill. Several members burnt tyres on the streets and raised slogans demanding that the city be included in the list of cities for the Central government’s Smart City programme.
The activists initially attempted to block National Highway 5 at Madhupatna, but were dispersed by police. CBA convener Subrat Kumar Lenka, secretary Santosh Kumar Mishra, assistant secretary Shovan Mohanty and member Bhagabat Prasad Das were placed under arrest.
Soon after, over 30 members of the outfit reached Madhupatna police station and courted arrest to show their solidarity.
Police forces were deployed at Link Road, Gopalpur, Sikharpur and Jagatpur among other places to preempt any untoward incident.
Shopping malls, banks and post offices at Arunodaya Market, Bajrakabati road, Choudhury Bazar, Link Road, Badambadi and Buxi Bazar areas were closed.
Although many schools in the city remained closed, prominent ones like Secondary Board High School and Ranihat High Schools were open.
Ravenshaw University, JKBK College and City College remained open while some other colleges were closed on the day.
The High Court and other lower courts however functioned as usual, said sources.
AAP state convener Dhanadakanta Nayak and state secretary Bharadwaj Mishra joined the rally and held the political leadership of the state responsible for the silver city not being included in the list of cities selected for the Smart City project.
