Today, January 28, 2026, Rourkela, the industrial powerhouse of Odisha’s Sundargarh district, joined the statewide bandh (strike) called by the Navnirman Krushak Sangathan (NNKS or NKS). This eight-hour shutdown, from 6 am to 2 pm, disrupted normal life in the city as part of a broader protest across Odisha. The bandh highlighted grievances of farmers and the public, drawing support from the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) while facing criticism from the BJP.
The primary triggers for the bandh included alleged mismanagement and irregularities in paddy procurement processes. Farmers have long complained about delays in payments, inadequate procurement centers, and quality rejections that leave them financially strained during the post-harvest season. Additionally, the protest targeted the imposition of heavy fines under the Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) system for vehicles, which many see as burdensome for rural and urban commuters alike. Another key issue was the arbitrary hike in electricity tariffs by Tata Power, affecting households and industries in a region already grappling with rising living costs.
In Rourkela, a steel city home to the massive Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) and thousands of workers, the bandh evoked a mixed but noticeable response. Markets in areas like Civil Township, Udit Nagar, and Sector areas saw many shops pulling down shutters voluntarily or under pressure from supporters. Road traffic thinned considerably during the morning hours, with major intersections such as Panposh, Bondamunda, and Rourkela Bus Stand experiencing reduced vehicular movement. Public transport, including city buses and auto-rickshaws, operated sparingly, forcing residents to rely on private vehicles or walk short distances.
Protesters, including local farmers’ groups aligned with NNKS, staged demonstrations at key points, blocking roads symbolically to draw attention to their demands. While no major incidents of violence were reported in Rourkela, police maintained a visible presence to prevent escalation. Authorities urged essential services—such as hospitals, emergency vehicles, and milk supply—to continue uninterrupted, and most did. Industrial operations at RSP and ancillary units appeared largely unaffected, as private sector units often remain insulated from such political or agrarian protests.
The Congress party’s backing amplified the bandh’s visibility. OPCC leaders, including state president Bhakta Charan Das, emphasized that the issues raised by NNKS concern public welfare, not just farmers. District units were instructed to mobilize support, leading to participation from party workers in Rourkela’s rallies. In contrast, BJP spokespersons dismissed it as a “fake farmers’ movement,” accusing the opposition of using the farmers’ body as a front due to their own lack of grassroots strength.
As the bandh concluded by early afternoon, life gradually returned to normal. Shops reopened, traffic picked up, and public transport resumed fuller schedules. However, the event underscored ongoing rural distress in Odisha, where paddy farmers—vital to the state’s economy—face persistent challenges despite government schemes. In industrial hubs like Rourkela, where urban and rural populations intersect, such protests remind residents of the broader socio-economic links beyond steel production.
The bandh’s partial success in Rourkela reflects the city’s complex dynamics: strong trade union traditions coexist with agrarian concerns from surrounding villages. Whether it pressures the state government to address procurement flaws, review PUCC enforcement, or renegotiate power tariffs remains to be seen. For now, January 28 served as a day when Rourkela paused to echo the voices of protesting farmers, highlighting that even in India’s steel cities, the fields still matter.
