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35,000 Maharashtra farmers reach Mumbai, police announces traffic diversion for commuters

As thousands of farmers march towards Vidhan Sabha in South Mumbai to press their various demands, several traffic diversions have been put in place between Sion and Mulund

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As thousands of farmers march towards Vidhan Sabha in South Mumbai to press their various demands, several traffic diversions have been put in place between Sion and Mulund

Over 35,000 farmers are marching demanding implementations of Forest Right Act 2008, Dr Swaminathan commission report for fair prices and complete loan waiver among others.

The 180-km-long march commenced on March 5 from the CBS Chowk in Central Nashik.

The march is proceeding to Sion from Mulund via Eastern Express Highway and will be taking a night halt at Somaiya Ground in Sion.

Considering a large number of the crowd, Mumbai police have advised residents through to use LBS Road, Sion-Panvel Road, Thane-Belapur route to reach South Mumbai instead of Eastern Express Highway (EEH).

“Eastern Express Highway, south-bound, from Anand Nagar Toll Plaza (Mulund) up to Somaiya Ground, Sion, will remain closed on Sunday from 9 am to 10 pm for all types of heavy vehicles and goods carrying vehicles," said the advisory.

A traffic police official said that a lane on the south-bound carriageway will be kept reserved for light vehicles with a speed restriction to 20km/hr,” said

The heavy vehicles heading towards Thane have been diverted via Sion-Panvel highway, Vashi Creek, Airoli, and Vitava.

Heavy police bandobast has been put in place to avoid any kind of untoward incident.

Considering that the rally would head towards South Mumbai from EEH, the Mumbai police officials are in process of negotiation with the protesters to change the route to avoid traffic congestion on Monday.

A total of 210 Mumbai Traffic police are deployed on Eastern Express Highway.

A force of traffic police deployed on EEH includes- two Deputy Commissioner of Police, six Assistant Commissioner of Police, 18 Police Inspectors, 14 Police Sub-Inspectors and 170 traffic police constables.

"Farmers have been betrayed by the BJP-led government. They in large numbers are marching towards Mumbai to press their demands. We will not break our gherao in Mumbai unless our demands are fulfilled,” said Ashok Dhavale, President of Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Sabha.

The 35-year-old Bhausaheb Gangode, a farmer from Nashik district 's Dindori who has participated in the long march said that the government has rejected his application for transferring the ownership of forest land in his name.

“We have been cultivating the land for a long time and as per the Forest Right Act 2008, the cultivating forest land ownership should be given to us. But government disqualified us on flimsy reason. Every day, we are walking 30 km and preparing our own food. We are fighting for our own rights. We want justice and without justice, we will not return back to our places. We do not want to go back with empty hands. It is the long struggle,” Gangode said.

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