Irate students and employees of the Utkal University here on Thursday staged a road blockade on National Highway 16, close to their campus Vani Vihar, in front of the main gate of the campus in protest against the Higher Education Department’s decision to establish the proposed second campus of the Rama Devi (RD) Women’s University in the Vani Vihar premises.
Thousands of protesting students and employees squatted on the NH burning tyres and shouting slogans urging the State Government to withdraw the decision.
Vehicular communication came to a grinding halt between Rasulgarh Square and Acharya Vihar Square and Rupali Square and Vani Vihar Square in the city with hundreds of vehicles being stranded bumper to bumper for more than an hour. Due to the road blockade, commuters had a tough time in reaching their destinations.
The agitators warned that the situation would worsen further if the Government does not reverse its decision for locating the RD Women’s University’s second campus at Vani Vihar.
Later, city Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Satybrata Bhoi and other senior police officials rushed to the spot and tried to pacify the agitators.
Meanwhile, additional police forces were deployed in and outside of the Utkal University campus to prevent the situation from flaring up further.
On Wednesday, the Utkal university students had also held a demonstration in front of the main entrance of their campus protesting against the Government’s decision to set up the proposed second campus of the RD Women’s University at Vani Vihar.