Raj Thackeray’s rally: Commuters face a tough time

MNS chief Raj Thackeray at the rally in Churchgate on Thursday. (Ganesh Shirsekar)

OFFICE COMMUTERS using roads and railways faced a tough time on Thursday due to the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) morcha from Metro Cinema in the South Mumbai to the Churchgate railway station building. Many complained of overcrowding in trains during morning rush hour.
“South-bound trains in the morning peak hours from Bandra railway station witnessed heavy rush. There was not enough space on the platforms. We somehow made our way inside the train,” said Aneesha Massachrenes, a regular commuter from Bandra railway station.

Raj Thackeray and his party workers started the march from Metro Cinema in South Mumbai and walked to the Western Railway headquarters at Churchgate station. Others complained of a rush while entering Churchgate railway station, where hundreds of protesters had gathered on Thursday. Some delayed their plans to leave from office in evening to avoid the rush. “My lecture usually gets over by 4 pm on a daily basis. However, on Thursday, I delayed my going by sometime to avoid the rush at the station. Passage leading to the station was equally crowded,” said Esther Cabrel, who studies in a collage located in Churchgate.

Officials from the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Trust (BEST) said that buses of nine routes that ply between Metro Cinema and Churchgate had to be diverted between 11.15 am and 3.30 pm on Thursday. Taxi drivers claimed they stayed away from Churchgate in the evening hours to avoid the traffic. “I avoided taking fares to Churchgate as I did not want to get stuck in the traffic. I limited my services to and from Masjid and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT),” said Pappu Raju, a taxi driver.

Traffic officials said that traffic on the Anandibai Poddar Road in the south-bound direction was diverted to the Shyamaldas Gandhi Marg near Metro Cinema till 2 pm. Traffic on the Maharishi Karve Road was also stopped till 3.30 pm. A north-bound road from Azad Maidan till Metro cinema was also blocked for an hour and thirty minutes in the evening.