Traffic snarls at CSMT due to Elgar morcha

Mumbai: The Elgar morcha, a protest march led by dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar, was held in Azad Maidan on Monday. The Mumbai police had denied permission for the morcha to carried out between Jijamata Udyaan in Byculla and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) considering the traffic snarls it might have created and has asked them to confine it to Azad Maidan near CSMT.

The traffic outside CSMT was nonetheless adversely affected as thousands of protesters thronged outside the heritage building’s premises from 11 am to 2 pm and began marching towards Azad Maidan. The situation was brought under control after the police intervened.

An official said, “Traffic congestion was observed on DN Road outside the CSMT station and on Mahapalika Road. The traffic was then brought to a normal pace after the police personnel stationed outside station and BMC office intervened. A similar intervention was seen on various busy roads leading to Azad Maidan from the CSTM.”

Mumbai police spokesperson Deepak Deoraj said, “The Mumbai police had pleaded with the organisers to directly assemble inside Azad Maidan instead of starting the march from Ranibaug. We had also stated that the march, which was held on Monday, would have caused inconvenience to office-goers as well as school and college going students.”

The stretch from CSTM station to Azad Maidan was manned by police personnel, with mobile control units and quick response teams present on the spot.