Balangir: Members of Balangir Rail Users' Association and several others demonstrated near the local station manager's office on Saturday protesting against the railway officials' alleged indifference to their demands.

The protesters chanted slogans against the railway's neglect towards Balangir and threatened to intensify the agitation in the future. They handed over a memorandum with a charter of demands addressed to the divisional railway manager, Sambalpur.

President of Balangir Rail Users' Association Bikramananda Bohidar said their demands such as coach indicator display board and extension of some trains have proved futile. He said: "The railway officials are apathetic towards the demands of Balangir rail users. Despite our repeated pleas, a simple demand such as the coach indicator display board can't be fulfilled," he said.

Bohidar said: "We demand extension of certain trains that will help the rail users of Balangir. We desperately need a direct train from Balangir to go to Allahabad and New Delhi. The Sambalpur-Jammu Tawi express can be extended up to Balangir or Titilagarh in this regard. We also need a direct train to Bhubaneswar from Balangir in the morning. The morning intercity express from Sambalpur to Bhubaneswar can be extended to Balangir."

Balangir Citizen Committee president Bhabani Shankar Satapathy said: "The Balangir-Khurda railway line, believed to be the lifeline for west Odisha, is going on at a snail's pace. Work on this line must be expedited. We will intensify our agitation in the days to come if the demands are not fulfilled within one month."

Balangir railway station manager Nikunja Bihari Beura said he would apprise the higher authorities on the demands.

"Tender process for the coach indicator display board has been completed and the work will start shortly. Other demands are policy matters and I can't comment on them. I will let the higher authorities know about the demands," he said.