Bhubaneswar: Tourists visiting the Konark Sun Temple were left disappointed today as a 12-hour Bharat bandh enforced by labour organisations and left parties brought the city to a standstill.
As per reports, the protesters, led by former Zilla Parishad member Rabindra Kumar Behera, labour leaders Manoranajan Parida, Sukanta Kumar Mohanty, and Bhaskar Seth, staged protest outside the UNESCO World Heritage site and blocked the temple’s ticket counters, the IOF Exhibition Centre, and the main gate, preventing visitors from entering the premises.
The shutdown also affected transportation, with buses from Bhubaneswar to Konark off the roads. Banks, post offices, and other services remained closed, adding to the inconvenience.
The usually bustling Konark Bus Stand and Chandrabhaga Beach were deserted, giving the town an eerie silence.
The bandh, called to press for various demands, has disrupted the daily lives of locals and tourists alike.
