KalingaTV News Network
Sundergarh: Normal life was crippled in Sundergarh town in Odisha on Saturday following a 12-hour bandh to protest against toll tax on the Biju Expressway, between Sambalpur and Rourkela.
The dawn- to- dusk bandh call was given by the Sundergarh Nagarik Committee. Various associations including the District Bar Association have extended their support to the bandh.
The vehicular traffic on the roads came to a grinding halt in and around the town as the protesters staged road blockade in various places, connecting to the district headquarter.
The educational institutions and business establishments also remained closed due to the dawn-to-dusk bandh.
The Committee members alleged that the L&T Company has been collecting illegally toll tax at Masnikani gate and Laing on the Biju Expressway.
The expressway, which was inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on March 12, has been constructed under Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) mode with the state government bearing 36 percent project cost while L&T paid 64 percent of the funds.
As many as 10 platoons of police force have been deployed in the town to prevent any untoward incident.
Ms Kalinga