Odisha Groom Walks All Night, Covers 28 Km To Reach Bride's Home Due To Drivers' Strike

Due to the drivers' strike, the groom and his family had to walk 28 kilometres to get to the bride's village in the Rayagada district of Odisha for the wedding.
They walked from Sunakhandi panchayat in the Kalyansinghpur block all night on Thursday to get to Dibalapadu village, where they married on Friday.

A viral video on social media showed the groom, his family, and a few women walking at night.

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"No transport was available due to the drivers' strike. We walked all night to reach the village. We had no other option," one of the groom's family members said.

The marriage was solemnized on Friday morning. But the groom and his family stayed at the bride's house, waiting for the drivers' association to withdraw the strike so they could return home.

The Driver Ekta Mahasangh has launched an indefinite strike across the state from Wednesday, demanding social welfare measures like insurance, pensions, and the formation of a welfare board.

The strike by the drivers of commercial vehicles in Odisha was put on hold for 90 days on Friday following an assurance by the state government that all their demands would be fulfilled.

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The announcement by the drivers' union, Ekta Mahasangh, came barely a few hours after Chief Secretary P K Jena and DGP S K Bansak appealed to the striking drivers to withdraw their protest.

"We are tribals and acquainted with long walks. We are also familiar with the roads even at night, and walking for marriages was common. However, vehicles have been used for the past few years," said the bride's uncle in a report in New Indian Express.

The strike by more than two lakh drivers has disrupted everyday life for everyone, including people who go to work and tourists who stay in the same places. This has also resulted in a rise in the price of essential commodities.

(With PTI inputs)

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