For the second consecutive day, South Mumbai came to a standstill due to the Maratha quota agitation led by Manoj Jarange-Patil at Azad Maidan. On Friday, thousands of agitators arrived in the city, bringing traffic in South Mumbai to a halt and this had a cascading effect all over the city. The same scenario was witnessed again on Saturday.
Traffic Paralysis Across South Mumbai
On Saturday, agitators gathered on the road in front of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus from the morning. As a result, traffic on the roads leading to Fort, Girgaum, the General Post Office, Mantralaya, and J. J. Flyover came to a complete standstill. Long queues of vehicles formed on all the roads surrounding the Mumbai Municipal Corporation. Protestors had already illegally parked hundreds of Jeeps,
Protestors Spill Into Streets
Tempos and trucks in the area. In the afternoon, protesters spread across various parts of the city, including Mantralaya, Lalbaug, Gateway of India, , and Chembur. In the evening, agitators returned to Azad Maidan and near the BMC headquarters once again causing traffic to come to a standstill in the CSMT, BMC, and Azad Maidan areas.
Jarange had called for a protest at Azad Maidan on Friday, declaring that he would not leave Mumbai without securing reservation for his community. Thousands of Maratha agitators from across the state joined the protest. The agitators have adopted an aggressive stance, alleging that the government is ignoring their demands. With hotels and stalls in the area shut, protesters began cooking meals by lighting grills on the road near the BMC, and some even bathed on the road in front of the BMC. In the morning, agitators used public toilets, leaving behind piles of garbage.
Thousands Camp Overnight
Around 30,000 to 40,000 protesters have arrived in Mumbai. On Friday night, some agitators stayed with relatives living in various suburbs of the city. However, those without such arrangements slept at CSMT station, in subways, in front of the BMC headquarters, or spread out to areas like Lalbaug, Fort, Chembur, Govandi, and Vashi.
On Saturday, due to the massive gathering, traffic to and from Fort, Girgaum, the General Post Office, Mantralaya, and J. J. Flyover was completely paralysed. Vehicles heading towards J. J. Flyover were backed up as far as Byculla. BEST buses and private cars remained stuck at several points along this route. Senior police officers appealed to the protesters to shift to Azad Maidan instead of blocking the roads, but the agitators refused to move, creating difficulties for the police.
Impact on Citizens and Workplaces
Since it was Saturday, many government offices were closed. While employees of these offices were unaffected, those working in private offices faced severe disruptions.Many citizens had to wade through crowds of protesters to reach their workplaces, and numerous vehicles were delayed due to the gridlock. However Several private offices had off on Saturday and several Mumbaikar prefer not to come at South Mumbai.
Heavy Police Deployment Without Force
To ensure readiness, a reserve police force was stationed at the Mumbai Police Commissioner’s Office. South Mumbai bore the brunt of the disruption, as large groups of protesters gathered outside the BMC headquarters and CSMT. A total reserve force of 750 armed police personnel was arranged—400 from Naigaon, 200 from Tardeo, and 150 from Marol, officials said.
Despite the challenges, police opted not to use force and instead requested protesters to cooperate, especially in clearing roads for emergency services. Their cooperation was evident when they made way for ambulances in the area, where three major hospitals are located. To help de-escalate tensions, officers even reached out to Maratha leader Manoj Jarange-Patil via video call on Friday, asking him to appeal for peace, which calmed the crowd.
Crowd Management by Police
Anticipating a massive turnout, the Mumbai Traffic Police kept the Eastern Freeway open through the night and diverted incoming protesters’ vehicles through controlled routes. By Friday evening, after protesters realised parking within the city would be difficult, police successfully persuaded over 800 vehicles to return.
Many protesters then parked in Navi Mumbai and took Harbour Line trains to CSMT to continue their participation. Others had parked along Lokmanya Tilak Road, DN Road, Crawford Market, and nearby footpaths. Police refrained from taking action against these vehicles to avoid aggravating the situation and managed to keep the central lanes open for regular traffic.
Appeals for Discipline
Protest leaders made public appeals through loudspeakers, urging supporters not to block roads or cause disruptions that could damage the movement’s image. By 12.30 pm on Saturday, traffic had largely been restored, though certain stretches, like the BMC road and one side of Fashion Street, remained closed to non-protest vehicles.
Unbeknownst to the public at the time, police had decided by Friday evening to extend the protest’s permission by one more day. However, this decision was kept confidential to prevent additional crowds from staying back and intensifying the gathering. The strategy worked: the protest remained manageable, and the overall crowd size did not swell overnight.
Interestingly, several protesters were seen celebrating their visit to Mumbai by playing music and visiting iconic landmarks like Marine Drive, the Gateway of India, and the Taj Hotel. This also temporarily reduced the crowd at Azad Maidan.
Police Strategy to Prevent Overcrowding
Throughout the protest, high-ranking officers maintained strict surveillance via CCTV cameras to ensure there were no violations or escalating situations.
By combining patience, strategic crowd-sensitive planning, and constant communication with demonstrators, the Mumbai police effectively maintained peace during a potentially volatile situation while upholding law and order across the city.
