Mumbai Faces Travel Chaos As Protests At CSMT And Azad Maidan Trigger Traffic Jams And Rail Disruptions

Mumbai: Motorists and daily commuters in Mumbai faced major disruptions on Friday as a large crowd gathered around Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), while a protest at Azad Maidan led to widespread traffic congestion across South Mumbai.

Central Railway's Advisory

The Central Railway’s Mumbai Division issued an advisory on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), urging passengers to avoid travelling to CSMT unless absolutely necessary. “In view of the heavy crowd gathering in and around the CSMT station, passengers are advised to travel to CSMT only if essential and unavoidable,” the advisory stated.

The warning sparked concern among office-goers who had already reached their workplaces earlier in the day, many of whom were unsure about how they would return home in the evening amidst the mounting chaos.

The Mumbai Traffic Police also released a traffic alert, cautioning motorists to avoid the Eastern Freeway due to the ongoing protest at Azad Maidan. “Due to agitation at Azad Maidan, avoid using Freeway. Please plan accordingly,” the department advised.

Protest Triggers Mumbai Gridlock

The protest, which drew significant crowds near one of the city's busiest railway stations and arterial routes, led to long traffic jams, adding to the daily burden of Mumbai’s already overtaxed transport infrastructure.

Several users took to X to voice their frustration. “Why allow a protest which will cause daily commuters hardship?” one user questioned, tagging the Mumbai Traffic Police. Another, Darshil Desai, wrote, “Why allow any agitation on a working day? There is already traffic on Mumbai roads and now this. Why increase daily commuters’ hardship?”

https://x.com/jitesh_shetty/status/1961257209855361098

Other users highlighted concerns about maintaining cleanliness and order around CSMT during such high-footfall situations, with one noting, “CSMT is our heritage! Please make sure to maintain cleanliness and hygiene across!”

Commuters Urge Better Coordination

"Friday’s disruptions highlight just how difficult it is for the authorities to strike a balance between allowing peaceful protest and keeping the city running smoothly," said Mahesh Jain, 44, a daily commuter. "With more demonstrations expected before the elections, the authorities need to coordinate better among themselves before granting permission for such protests in the future."