In response to a request made by the District Bar Association and upheld by the Electricity Consumers' Action Committee, Dhenkanal is participating in a full 12-hour bandh today.
The shutdown, which started at 6 AM and will last until 6 PM, was planned as a protest against Tata Power TPCODL's alleged arbitrary and exploitative practices, which local groups claim include forced smart meter installation, excessive billing, penalties, unexpected power outages, and a failure to improve local infrastructure.
Political parties, civil society organizations, trade associations, intellectuals, and district residents all strongly supported the bandh. According to sources, all businesses, government and private offices, and a number of private schools and institutions were still closed by morning.

Protesters Block NH-55 Railway Tracks
According to reports, the bandh took a more dramatic turn early in the day when hundreds of residents and attorneys gathered close to Dhenkanal Main Station and staged a rail roko, stopping trains from passing through the area. Soon after, protesters stopped traffic on National Highway-55.
Police were stationed to control traffic as long lines of stuck trucks, cars, and buses stretched across many locations on the roadway.
The roadblock, according to its organizers, was a symbolic escalation intended to highlight the complaints of regular customers impacted by frequent billing disputes and unexpected power outages.TPCODL is charged with excessive fines and forced smart metering.
The District Bar Association claims that over the past few months, concerns about Tata Power TPCODL's operations have progressively escalated. Locals claim that the firm is failing to upgrade the network despite frequent outages, issuing inflated bills, collecting arbitrary fines, and installing smart meters without sufficient planning.
The Electricity Consumers' Action Committee was established as a result of these worries, and it currently consists of senior community members and representatives from a number of political parties. The committee described the bandh as "a collective expression of public resentment" and cautioned that if corrective action is not taken, further district-wide unrest may ensue.

Locals also mentioned frequent unplanned power outages and technical malfunctions, claiming that the lack of a more robust local grid has put an excessive load on customers who are already dealing with increased electricity costs.
Widespread Support for the Shutdown Reports from Dhenkanal town and surrounding areas verified that fuel stations, marketplaces, small shops, and hotels were closed throughout the morning. As locals joined the protest, private offices and coaching centers also closed.
Normal life continued to be severely interrupted throughout Dhenkanal, with transportation obstructed and administrative activity paralyzed for the majority of the day.
The TPCODL officials have not yet addressed these accusations.