Mumbai’s city centre descended into chaos on Monday as the ongoing Maratha reservation agitation reached Churchgate. Protestors blocked key roads near the busy station, severely disrupting traffic and adding to the woes of commuters already struggling with snarls near Azad Maidan and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT).
Hundreds of protestors spilling onto arterial roads, raising slogans and forcing vehicles to a halt. Several Mumbaikars were left stranded, with taxis and buses caught in long traffic jams stretching across South Mumbai.
The fresh blockade marks an escalation in the agitation led by activist Manoj Jarange Patil, who has been spearheading the demand for Maratha quota in education and government jobs. What began as a congregation at Azad Maidan last week has steadily spread towards CSMT and now Churchgate, crippling traffic across Mumbai’s busiest commercial districts.
The Mumbai Police issued fresh advisories urging motorists to avoid South Mumbai areas and take alternative routes. However, congestion continued unabated, with many commuters forced to walk long distances to reach their workplaces. Train services were not directly hit but heavy crowds around the stations hampered access.
The Maratha quota agitation has been intensifying since Jarange called for large-scale mobilisation in Mumbai, demanding concrete action from the state government. Protestors allege that successive governments have failed to provide lasting solutions despite repeated assurances, leaving the community with no choice but to take to the streets.
Meanwhile, civic authorities have deployed additional security near Churchgate and CSMT, while traffic police remain on high alert across central and western corridors. The government is expected to hold another round of talks with Jarange’s representatives in an effort to defuse tensions, but as of now, the agitation shows no signs of easing.
