Bhubaneswar, April 9 -- Bhubaneswar: Hundreds of students of Utkal University blocked National Highway-16 near Vani Vihar Square on Friday morning protesting the decision of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) to close the hostels of government and private educational institutions amid the steep rise in Covid-19 cases in the Capital City.

The BMC on Thursday had issued an advisory for the government and the residential educational institution authorities directing students to vacate hostels and go back to their homes.

Following this, the Utkal University authorities held a meeting yesterday and asked the boarders of PG fourth semester, whose examinations are over, to vacate the hostels by 12 April.

Similarly, the PG first semes...