Mumbai: Mumbai’s bustling streets turned into a sea of protesters on Friday as the Manoj Jarange Patil-led Maratha Kranti Morcha supporters took over key stretches in South Mumbai ahead of its protest at Azad Maidan. Visuals from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and the Fort area showed massive crowds raising slogans and marching in unison, completely blocking arterial roads. The swelling turnout brought vehicular movement to a crawl, triggering widespread traffic snarls across south central parts of the city. Other visuals showed a massive crowd of supporters on the platform of the CSMT.
The traffic disruptions began early in the day from Byculla, where police barricaded the entry of vehicles carrying protesters onto the JJ Flyover. The convoys were instead diverted below the bridge towards Mohammad Ali Road, adding pressure on already busy routes. On the previous night, vehicles ferrying Maratha supporters had been stopped from crossing the Carnac Bridge. To prevent a complete shutdown of South Mumbai, the traffic police directed these vehicles to be parked at the BPT premises in Wadi Bunder, compelling protesters to cover the rest of the distance to Azad Maidan on foot.
Massive Police Deployment Across City
Anticipating the scale of the agitation, Mumbai Police have mounted one of their largest-ever security deployments. Nearly 1,000 personnel have been stationed at Azad Maidan alone, turning the protest ground into a virtual police camp. In addition, around 18,000 officers are already deployed across the city for Ganeshotsav duties, which began earlier this week.
To bolster strength at the protest site, reinforcements include two Additional Commissioners of Police, six Deputy Commissioners, 200 Assistant Commissioners and Police Inspectors, along with 800 constables. Specialised units such as the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF), Riot Control Squad, Quick Response Team (QRT), CRPF companies, and Bomb Disposal squads have also been kept on alert.
Amit Shah In Mumbai Today
The timing of the protest has amplified the challenge for the police. The mass mobilisation coincides not only with the opening days of Ganeshotsav, one of Mumbai’s largest public festivals, but also with the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the city. Shah is scheduled to attend Ganesh mandals and interact with BJP leaders, requiring parallel layers of security across multiple venues.
The twin pressure of festival management and political agitation has created an unprecedented test for Mumbai’s security machinery. Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil, who has vowed to launch an indefinite hunger strike during Ganeshotsav, has already arrived in the city with thousands of supporters.
