Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) that comprises Congress, Shiv Sena, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has called for a statewide bandh today in protest against the Lakhimpur Kheri incident that claimed the lives of eight people including four farmers.
According to Mumbai Police, security has been deployed at strategic points, with 3 companies of SRPF, 500 Home Guards, and 700 men from Local Arms units.
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had opposed the 'Maharashtra Bandh' announced by the MVA.
From diverted BEST bus routes and traffic snarls to airport traffic and local train status - Updates
BEST update
Bus services of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) were closed in Mumbai on Monday after incidents of stone pelting at some places here in the wake of the Maharashtra bandh called by three ruling parties in the state to protest the killing of four farmers in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri district, officials said.
Nine buses, including one hired on lease, were damaged in areas like Dharavi, Mankhurd, Shivaji Nagar, Charkop, Oshiwara, Deonar and near Inorbit Mall here early morning, said a statement issued by BEST, which is the transport undertaking of the city civic body.
"The BEST administration has called for police protection and buses will be operated from all depots after reviewing the situation," the statement said.
Suhas Samant, a leader of the BEST Kamgar Sena which is affiliated to the ruling Shiv Sena, in a video clip on Sunday appealed to all the BEST employees to support the bandh.
As the BEST buses and many of the traditional 'black-yellow cabs' remained off roads, there were huge crowds on suburban railway stations to commute by local trains, which were running as per schedule.
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Autos and Taxis
Most of the black-yellow cabs and auto-rickshaws were off roads in the metropolis, as per transport union leaders.
"The black-yellow taxis are operating, but their number is very less. The taxi operations outside the city airport are unaffected," said A L Quadros, general secretary of the Mumbai Taximens' Union.
Shops
In the morning, shops and other commercial establishments, barring those engaged in selling essential items, remained closed in Mumbai.
Yesterday in a U-turn, FRTWA has decided to support the Maharashtra Bandh. "After the request of Shiv Sena and other party leaders, we have decided to keep shops closed till 4 pm in support of the bandh call by the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in protest against the killing of farmers," Viren Shah, chief of Federation of Retail Traders' Welfare Association (FRTWA), said in an amended statement. Thus, shops remain closed in most parts of Mumbai.
Airport update
So far, Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) has not witnessed diversions and delays and the flight operations are normal.
MSRTC
Officials of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) said their buses from Mumbai to other places were plying as per the schedule and no untoward incident was reported anywhere.
"Regional offices across the state have been informed to operate bus services in consultation with the district administration concerned and police after taking stock of the local situation," an MSRTC official said.
Local train update
While the BEST bus services were affected in the wake of the bandh, the local trains, considered as the lifeline of Mumbai, were operating normally, but running packed as road commuters shifted to suburban rail services.
"Our services are running as per schedule," Shivaji Sutar, chief public relations officer of the Central Railway, told PTI.
The Metro rail services were also operating normally in the city.
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(With inputs from agencies)
