The dawn-to-dusk shutdown by non-Congress parties started today, distressing normal life in Orissa as road as well as rail services were hit in the state.

A senior police officer said, "The movement of vehicles in both the state and the national highway has been totally affected."

Many trains were running behind schedule as activists sat on tracks and blockaded trains at different railway stations.

In major cities, comprising state capital Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Rourkela and Sambalpur, activists marched as the day started.

They shouted slogans against Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Also, hundreds of political activists staged protest in front of the central government organisations.

Even though the state administration has not ordered closure of schools and colleges, most of them saw thin attendance.

In Orissa, opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and its associated are taking part in the countrywide shutdown called by political parties marking the first unified showdown since the Congress returned to power last year.

During the last week, the central administration ended government curbs on petroleum valuation and increased the costs of diesel, kerosene and cooking gas.

The price of diesel grew by Rs 2 a litre, kerosene by Rs 3 a litre, petrol by Rs 3.50 a litre, and cooking gas by Rs 35 per cylinder.

The Biju Patnaik University of Technology and the Utkal University in Orissa have postponed their exams due to the shutdown. The Biju Patnaik University of Technology rescheduled its fourth semester exams of various engineering courses to July 10. (With Inputs from Agencies)