Vyasanagar/Jajpur: Daily business and vehicular traffic came to a grinding halt after the joint working committee of Vyasanagar Nagarika Samity staged an economic blockade over longstanding demands at Jajpur Road in Jajpur district of Odisha today.

Except for bikes, ambulance and emergency vehicles, no traffic movement was allowed while all shops and commercial establishments remained shut. All agitators carried on with the blockade despite the sweltering heat.

As per reports, all political parties and various organisations extended support to the economic blockade except for the ruling BJD. The committee had earlier warned of a blockade if their list of five demands were not met. The demands include setting up of a super specialty hospital in Jajpur Road and naming of Jajpur Road to Vyasanagar among other things. Earlier, as a pre-emptive measure, the district administration had issued notice against the committee head under section 107 of the CrPC but the strike was staged nontheless.