States »EasPosted at: Jul 30 2021 7:28PM Human chain to protest closure of Sambalpur Road railway station
Sambalpur, Jul 30 (UN) Braving the torrential rains hundreds of people formed a ‘human chain’ in the town today protesting permanent closure of 125 year old Sambalpur Road railway station, popularly known as Fatak station.
The shops and commercial establishments also downed their shutters to protest the closure of the oldest railway station.
The fatak railway station in this Western Odisha town caters to the needs of more than 80 percent
rail users of the city, district as well as other parts of the western Odisha due to its ideal location and suitable road connectivity from all places.
But the railway has been trying to close the station for a long time in the name of development and construction of more tracks towards Jharsuguda and Talcher routes.
The station has historic importance as none other than the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi landed here during the freedom movement.
The closure of this station will have adverse impact on passengers and people depending on it for their livelihood, said Sapan Mishra,” a social activist fighting for revival of the station.
Sambalpur Lok Sabha MP Nitesh Ganga Dev and Rajya Sabha MP Prasanna Acharya have
raised the issue in the Parliament to revive the station and drop the idea of its closure.
Mr.Ganga Dev even demanded to convert it to a ‘heritage station’ instead of closing it since
Odisha is celebrating centenary of Gandhi's arrival in the state.
Massive police forces were deployed in the station and all over Fatak area to avert any untoward situation in view of the resentment of local residents against the closure of the railway station.
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