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| Edited By: |Source: PTI |Updated: Aug 09, 2018, 04:01 PM IST
Maratha agitators disrupted road traffic in some parts of Maharashtra today as part of their statewide protests over the reservation demand.
Protesters halted buses and other vehicles on roads in Latur, Jalna, Solapur and Buldhana districts, officials said.
Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella body of Maratha groups, has called for a 'bandh' today across Maharashtra, except Navi Mumbai which had witnessed large-scale violence last month during protests by the community.
Amol Jadhavrao, a leader of Sakal Maratha Samaj, said yesterday that they would hold a peaceful protest from 8 AM to 6 pm today, Another Maratha faction has, however, given an a call to hold a sit in outside the Mumbai suburban district collector's office.
The authorities had yesterday ordered closure of schools and colleges in some cities, including Pune, fearing violence.
Though Navi Mumbai has been excluded from the bandh, the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) in the densely populated township has decided to remain shut today.
Even as Maratha groups have excluded essential services from the bandh purview, the supply of vegetables was affected in some parts of the state, including Mumbai, APMC officials said.
A vegetable seller in Mumbai's Dadar area said the 'bandh' was not forced on them, but they had voluntarily shut down business for the day in support of the cause.
Members of Maratha Kranti Morcha are holding dharna outside the residence of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar in Baramati. NCP leader Ajit Pawar is also sitting with the MKM members and even he raised slogans in support of Maratha reservation
Incidents of stone pelting were reported from Somwar peth in Pune. Protestors also blocked roads in Budhgaon in Sangli.
Protesters block roads in Aurangabad. Additional personnel have been deployed in Aurangabad, as the district witnessed violent protests during the last agitation.
#MarathaKrantiMorcha near the Collector's Office in Kherwadi, Bandra (E), Mumbai. Video credit @hemantpadalkar pic.twitter.com/UTsDIz6O7r
— DNA (@dna) August 9, 2018
Bandra witnessed protests near Kherwadi in the eastern part of the suburbs. A number of people protested near the Collector's Office - Hemant Padalkar DNA
Nearly six to seven buses of Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Maha mandal (PMPML) have been targeted in parts of the city since today morning. Public relation officer of PMPML Subhash Gaikwad said, "we have received reports of six to seven buses being targeted in Sinhgad road, Satara road, Bibwewadi areas. The tyres of most of these buses were deflated after which they were taken back to respective depots."
Gaikwad also said that only 50% of its total fleet is operational today. "We have average 1,400 buses operational but today we are running only 675 buses. We have cancelled all the trips on the six highways that pass through Pune," Gaikwad said.
Following statewide bandh called by Maratha Kranti Morcha over demand for #MarathaReservation, Buses of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation, not plying as a precautionary measure in Pune pic.twitter.com/FDbs4VoCfO
— ANI (@ANI) August 9, 2018
Ahead of the bandh, Maharashtra Chief Secretary D K Jain reviewed the security measures. In a meeting held in Mantralaya, Jain interacted with senior police officials, railway security forces and senior administrative officials regarding the preparations made to avoid any untoward incident. Jain asked the officials to ensure that suburban railway services run smoothly and that schools and other essential services are not affected during the bandh, a senior police official had told PTI
► Local train and Mumbai Metro services are running normally. Air traffic was normal at the airport, but airlines have issued a travel advisory to passengers. “Due to the planned bandh in Maharashtra, we are anticipating transport disruptions. Passengers are advised to keep extra time in hand while traveling to/from the airport," IndiGo said in a tweet.
While Jet Airways in a tweet said, "Due to bandh, guests travelling to/from Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur & Aurangabad on August 09, 2018, could face transportation issues. We urge all our guests to exercise caution while travelling to/from the airport. Please check flight status online & plan your travel accordingly."
► Police bandobast at IC colony and and Dahisar. However, life in Borivali was going as per normal. Dahisar had a few shops open, as most shops still remained shut at 10 am. Autos were plying as usual, but auto rickshaws have refused long distance fares especially towards Mira road and Thane side from Dahisar stating the bandh
Chakan in Pune district that had witnessed massive protests during the last stir, has been peaceful so far. Internet services, however, have been suspended
► Pune rural police have suspended internet services in Baramati, Shirur, Khed, Junnar, Maval, Bhor and Daund tehsils of the district, informed Sandip Patil, Superintendent of Police of Pune rural.
► No activity reported from areas like Dadar, Hindmata, Chembur, Andheri, Powai & Malad till now.
► Trains, buses & taxis are running smoothly.
► Shops in areas like Matunga, Dadar have started to open.
► Since larger Maratha groups had exempted Mumbai from the bandh, the city may see isolated protests in some pockets.
► Thane and Navi Mumbai have been exempted from the bandh.
In Pune district, the situation is calm. The main coordinating team of the Maratha Kranti Morcha has asked all the agitators to disrupt public life. They have been instructed to occupy the district collector and tehsildar offices. However, there are smaller groups that may come onto the streets in some time.
According to reports, traffic was disrupted in some parts of the state. Protesters halted buses and other vehicles on roads in Latur, Jalna, Solapur and Buldhana districts, officials said.
People stand in queue outside Churchgate station to catch a share taxi. So far, people have been waiting a while to get a taxi
Drishti Chanchu (l) and Shivani Jain (r), both students of FYBA Jai Hind College and residents of Andheri and Mumbai Central respectively were advised to leave by teacher for safety reasons. Attendance in their class was thin. "Of 200, only 15 turned up. So as preacutionary measure, we were advised to return home by college teacher," they told DNA
Supply of vegetables have been hit across the state because of the Maharashtra bandh and the wholesale vegetable market in Dadar has been shut for the day, reports have said.
Government Law College outside Churchgate station is functioning, but only a few students have shown up - Ashutosh Shukla/DNA Photo
Meanwhile, there was lesser traffic than usual at Marine Drive - Ashutosh Shukla/ DNA Photo
Ravi Kanwarjani, student of FYBsc Biotech at Mumbai's Jai Hind in Churchgate is leaving for home as 90% students from his batch have not come. Said crowd from Borivali where he comes was repatively normal as compared to this side. - Ashutosh Shukla/DNA Photo
Pune rural police have deployed 2,200 policemen, 900 home guards, 3 SRPF companies, 1 rapid action force company, 20 striking platoons for bandobast in the district.
Earlier, Pune's Chakan area had witnessed violence during Maratha agitation where over 40 public transport buses were torched
In Pune district, the collector has declared holiday for all schools and colleges as a precautionary measure.
Sakal Maratha Samaj, an umbrella body of Maratha groups, stated that the 'bandh' would be observed across Maharashtra, but barring Navi Mumbai, on Thursday, 9 August.
"It will be a state-wide bandh, excluding Navi Mumbai. All the essential services, schools and colleges have been excluded from the bandh," Amol Jadhavrao, a leader of Sakal Maratha Samaj told reporters.
"Due to some sensitive issues, we have decided not to observe bandh in Navi Mumbai," he said.
He added that the protests would be “peaceful” and would take place between 8 am and 6 pm.
The Bombay High Court had on Tuesday urged the Maratha community members to refrain from resorting to violence or committing suicide over their demand for reservation in government jobs and education.
Although the state government's education department has said that there is no bandh and schools will run as normal, many schools in Mumbai are voluntarily shut
