Maratha Quota Strike: For the fourth consecutive day, Mumbai’s roads and transport systems have been disrupted since Friday as over 25,000 Maratha protesters have flooded the city. The protesters had gathered in response to the call by activist Manoj Jarange-Patil, who is on a hunger strike at Azad Maidan demanding quota reforms.
The protest which was allowed under extended police permission had caused severe traffic disruptions across South and Central Mumbai.
Arterial roads were congested, railway stations were overcrowded, and commuters were stranded for hours. Offices in areas like Fort, Nariman Point, and Lower Parel remained largely empty as many workers either worked from home or abandoned their commute altogether.
By midday, the city’s key roads were blocked. The Eastern Freeway, usually a fast route to South Mumbai, was blocked with cars and buses stuck for hours. Other major routes, including the Sion-Panvel highway near Vashi bridge, Atal Setu bridge, and the Eastern Express Highway, also moved very slowly.
Near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), hundreds of cars and a few BEST buses were trapped as protesters had blocked roads. However, few ambulances were allowed to pass.
Many protesters had arrived in their own vehicles, which were parked disorderly, and some had even set up kitchens on the roads.
The Mumbai Police had extended permission for the quota protests to continue on Sunday, following an application from Jarange-Patil. Authorities have deployed personnels at key locations, including CSMT, Mantralaya, and other sensitive junctions, to maintain law and order.
The Mumbai Traffic Police have advised commuters to avoid affected routes and use alternate paths. In advisories on X, they warned that traffic in areas like Fort, Marine Lines, and Crawford Market would remain slow and could face occasional disruptions. They urged motorists to follow directions given at traffic junctions to reduce inconvenience.
Authorities are monitoring the situation and have recommended alternate routes for smoother travel.