12-hr Hailakandi bandh demanding direct train to Guwahati evokes mixed response
Shops remained closed and vehicles off the roads. Six picketers were arrested and organisers vowed to intensify protests if demands are unmet.;
The streets in Hailakandi during the 12-hr bandh
Hailakandi, April 8: Normal life was partially disrupted in Hailakandi district on Tuesday as a 12-hour bandh, called by the Nagarik Adhikar Suraksha Samiti (NASS) and backed by 22 other organisations, evoked a mixed response. The bandh, which commenced at 5 am, was called to press for the longstanding demand of starting a direct train from Mizoram's Bairabi to Guwahati via Hailakandi.
In the early hours, most shops and business establishments remained shut across key areas of Hailakandi town, with vehicles staying off the roads.
Several private educational institutions declared a holiday in anticipation of the bandh. The atmosphere in many parts of the district remained tense but under control, with local police monitoring the situation closely.
Picketers took to the streets in various parts of the district, including Gharmurra, Jamira, Karicherra, Lala, Monacherra, Chiparsangan, Algapur, and others, urging residents to join the protest. Street corner meetings were held, and handbills outlining the demands were distributed widely to raise public awareness.
Police arrested six picketers for obstructing traffic and preventing vehicles from plying.
Speaking to the media, NASS president Premangshu Sekhar Paul claimed that the bandh had received spontaneous support from all sections of the public. He criticised elected representatives, particularly the MP of Sribhumi (Karimganj), for their failure to take effective action in facilitating the long-awaited railway connectivity.
Kallol Choudhury, another senior NASS member, stated that despite staging a dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and submitting memoranda to the Prime Minister and the Railway Minister, their demand remains unaddressed. “We had no choice but to call this bandh,” he said, adding that their movement will intensify if the authorities continue to ignore the plea for better railway infrastructure in Hailakandi and Mizoram.
The demand for a direct train service is rooted in the severe transportation challenges faced by residents of the district and adjoining areas in Mizoram, who currently lack a direct rail link to the state capital, Guwahati.
Authorities are keeping a close watch as the situation develops, even as the agitators reaffirm their resolve to continue their peaceful protests until the demand is met.
