Koraput: The BJP's district unit observed an eight-hour strike from 6am in the Jeypore Assembly segment on Thursday, demanding immediate shifting of the district headquarters hospital from Koraput to Jeypore and the notified area council (NAC) status for Borigumma block.

As a result of the strike, educational institutions, offices and business establishment remained closed. Passengers also had a harrowing time as both government and private buses remained off road.

"It has been a year since the state government accorded the district headquarters hospital status to the sub-divisional hospital of Jeypore. But, it is yet to function as a district headquarters hospital. Citing various reasons, the administration is delaying the process. We demand the immediate shifting of district headquarters hospital to Jeypore," said BJP activist Bulu Sahu.

Also, the party demands the NAC status for Borigumma block headquarters, situated on the inter-junction of the NH-26 and the NH-326.

"Borigumma is developing rapidly as an urban centre for the passing of two national highways. Declaration of Borigumma as a national highway is a long-standing demand of the local people," he said.

Officials said the process of shifting the district headquarters hospital to Jeypore had begun, and the decision of declaring Borigumma as an NAC would be taken at a higher level.

After the Koraput district headquarters hospital got attached to the SLN Medical College and Hospital, the sub-divisional hospital of Jeypore was upgraded to a district headquarters hospital by the state government in August 2017.