Bhubaneswar: Violence broke out in Odisha’s Bondamunda area on Saturday after a 37-year-old man was crushed under a bulldozer during the removal of illegal encroachments, part of the Rourkela Steel Plant’s plan to expand its transport infrastructure. Outraged locals attacked officials on the spot, leaving Additional Tehsildar Purusottam Nayak and six police officers, including an Assistant Sub-Inspector, injured.
“Etok Ekka died after being hit by a bulldozer that was clearing the illegal encroachment in the Bondamunda area. As the slum dwellers who had encroached upon the railway track started attacking the police, who were there to assist with the removal of encroachments, they came under a bow and arrow attack by the slum dwellers, resulting in injuries to additional tehsildar Purusottam Nayak and six policemen, including an assistant sub-inspector,” a police official said.
The locals, who were protesting on Friday as well, alleged that the work was being carried out forcibly. “They had erected a barricade, used force, and tried to chase us away. Yesterday, we had staged a demonstration, and the tehsildar had asked us to meet the additional district magistrate (ADM). We had clearly stated that no work should be undertaken without prior consultation with the ADM. When we went to have a discussion with the ADM, they started the work,” a local protestor said.
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According to officials, the Rourkela Steel Plant plans to revive its defunct rail track between the steel plant and Dumerta in order to avoid the congested Bondamunda rail route for direct transportation of raw materials. The four-kilometre-long railway line, which had remained unused for long, was allegedly uprooted in several places. “Over time, encroachments emerged, with unauthorised residential structures being constructed along the route. In an effort to reclaim the land and revive the defunct line, a team from the Rourkela Steel Plant visited the site in December last year, but was driven away by the encroachers,” an official said.
The RSP currently has one operational double-track connected to the congested Bondamunda railway yard on the Howrah-Mumbai main line of South Eastern Railway. For a second rail line with double tracks between the plant and Dumerta via Barkani, the RSP had deposited ₹132 crore with South Eastern Railway. “With the double tracks, the RSP would be able to bypass the congested Bondamunda route, and through Dumerta, raw materials could be freely transported from the Barsuan, Kalta, and Taldihi iron ore mines of RSP in the Koida Mining Circle,” the official said.
Currently, steel-laden goods trains or empty wagons from the RSP halt at the Bondamunda yard before being allowed onto the main line. Similarly, incoming goods trains carrying minerals to RSP have to halt at Bondamunda yard before entering the plant.