Despite claims by the Railways that suburban train services are operating normally, thousands of commuters across Mumbai faced severe inconvenience on Monday due to the ongoing Maratha reservation protest. Chaos gripped Central Line stations, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), which were overwhelmed with protesters.
Large crowds of demonstrators occupied platforms, leaving little to no walking space for passengers. Boarding and deboarding trains became a major struggle. Protesters were seen shouting slogans and dancing on platforms, causing further disruption. Although security personnel were deployed at key stations, they appeared ineffective in controlling the crowd. Protesters were seen arguing with officers who attempted to stop them.
Bus Services Severely Affected
The impact was felt even more drastically on the city’s bus transport system. Several key routes operated by Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) were either curtailed or diverted, forcing thousands of office-goers to walk long distances to reach their destinations.
According to the BEST control room, several roads in South Mumbai were either blocked or overcrowded, making it impossible to maintain bus schedules. Police closed multiple major roads, including:
Jagannath Bhosale Marg
Mahapalika Marg
DN Road
Hajari Somani Marg
Madam Cama Road
JJ Bridge Road
Due to the closure of Jagannath Bhosale Marg, bus routes 25, 45, C-10, 86, and 305 were diverted via Sant Sevalal Chowk, Rambhau Salaskar Marg, Mahadev Chowk, MK Road, and Poddar Chowk.
Similarly, Bhagat Singh Road near the GPO was completely blocked, suspending bus operations in that area. The closure of Mahapalika Marg led to the diversion of routes 66, 69, 126, and 28 via MG Road and Hutatma Chowk.
With DN Road shut down, buses on routes 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 14, 25, 45, 51, 10, 103, 124, 126, and 69 were rerouted via MG Road towards Metro, LT Road, and Crawford Market.
The closure of Hajari Somani Marg forced rerouting of routes 1, 6, 9, 19, 21, 26, 25, 14, 45, 51, 66, 8, and 69 via Metro Cinema.
Additionally, JJ Bridge was closed for both heavy vehicles and buses from 9:35 AM onward, leading to further diversions and curtailments.
With key transport arteries blocked and services running off-schedule or not at all, large parts of Mumbai witnessed a near shutdown in mobility. Office-goers, students, and daily wage workers bore the brunt of the disruptions.
