Rayagada,December 18: Life came to a standstill in the Rayagada district today, following a 12-hour undivided Koraput district bandh call given by the lawyers over delay in setting up of a permanent bench of Orissa High Court in the area.
While shops and other business establishments downed their shutters due to the picketing by the members of Joint Action Committee of various lawyers’ associations of Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri districts, schools and colleges also remained closed during the bandh observation.
Commuters faced a tough time in Rayagada district as plying of buses was completely halt starting from morning 6 am following road blockades at different places in Gunupur, Kashipur and Bissam Cuttack areas. Bus communication to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh State and Kalahandi, Gajapati and Koraput districts was completely disrupted.
Rayagada Bar Association members also staged a road blockade at Kapilsh Chhak.
District administrations have made ample security arrangements for the bandh observation.
Prasanta Patnaik