Mumbai: Commuters travelling on the Main line of Central Railway were inconvenienced during peak hours on Wednesday morning because of an impromptu 'rail roko'. At least 100 protesters gathered on the railway track at Kanjurmarg at 7.55am, causing trains to be delayed by 15-20 minutes. The Government Railway Police have detained 47 people for obstructing services.
“There were 150 people who stood on the railway tracks blocking the slow line. The railway lines towards CSMT were affected but full precautions were taken. Train services resumed at 8.16 am,” said a senior Central Railway official.
The rail roko was organised by Waman Meshram of the Bahujan Kranti Morcha to protest the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and National Register of Citizens (NRC). Many commuters stepped down from trains to ask protesters to move away from the tracks and this led to a clash between the two groups. However, police arrived at the spot and removed protesters from tracks.
The ‘rail roko’ was organised on the Up slow track at Kanjurmarg, as a result of which all Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT)-bound trains were affected.
The rail roko was reportedly organised because of a Bharat bandh called by the BKM. Owing to the bandh, rickshaws outside Bandra railway station were prevented from plying on Wednesday morning.
“Morning auto strike in Bandra East against NRC. No autos, cabs and thousands of people walking down to their offices in BKC. Govt has not informed commuters in advance and neither taken any alternate steps @OfficeofUT @CMOMaharashtra @AUThackeray @TimesNow @ndtv.” tweeted a commuter.
