Mahim Residents Protest Marathon Road Closures, Say Repeated Events Disrupt Daily Life And Emergency Access

Mumbai: Residents of Mahim, especially those living along Cadell Road, are once again voicing strong frustration over the recurring disruptions caused by annual marathon events. Locals say these large-scale road closures severely impact everyday life, restrict emergency access, and leave people stranded within their own neighbourhoods for hours.

Delivery Issues

Nazia Esa, a resident of Mahim Fort Road, described the difficulties she faced during the latest marathon. “I had ordered bread, eggs, fruits, and vegetables online. But the delivery person was stopped because of marathon restrictions,” she said.

Forced to walk a long distance to collect her order, Nazia added, “I had to leave my house open and rush just to get groceries. What if this had been urgent medicines for a senior citizen? How can an elderly person walk such a distance simply because a marathon is happening?”

She questioned why entire public roads should be blocked at the cost of depriving residents of basic access and services. Residents living directly on Cadell Road echoed similar complaints. Asif Batliwala said traffic police instruct locals a day prior to remove their vehicles and seal crossings near Mahim Medico. “This creates extreme hardship for families who depend on these roads every day,” he said.

Night Commuter Trouble

Another resident, Anis Mullah, shared that he returned late at night from a wedding only to be stopped by police. “They told me I couldn’t cross the road on my bike or in my car. I had to park elsewhere and walk home. This happens every year,” he said.

He urged residents to file complaints in advance with the area DCP and CP, noting that the police are simply following higher orders.

Alternate Routes

The Mahim Residents Group has taken a firm stand against marathons on residential roads. Member Irfan Machiwala suggested that such events be shifted to non-residential zones to avoid disturbing local communities. He proposed alternate venues including long beach stretches, forest routes, the Atal Setu Bridge, the Eastern Freeway, or even the Mumbai–Pune Expressway.

Machiwala appealed to Mahim MP Anil Desai, MLA Mahesh Sawant, and corporators Milind Vaidya, Sheetal Gambhir Desai, and Vishaka Raut to intervene and raise the issue with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. “Marathons must be stopped completely on public roads in Mahim West,” he said.

Residents pointed out that different events under the Tata Marathon are held from 6:00 am to 10:30 am, causing extended disruption during busy morning hours.

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