Proper arrangements ensure a smooth Maratha morcha

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and other government agencies had made elaborate arrangements to ensure that the Maratha community's morcha in Mumbai passed off smoothly.
Anticipating a large gathering of the community members, the Mumbai civic body had made arrangements to provide water, emergency medical help as well as of mobile toilets.
"Our administration made arrangements by putting mobile toilets and medical vans at important locations across the city, besides providing water tankers.
"BMC made another gate for entry and exit for smooth movement of the crowd at the protest site in Azad Maidan," said a civic official.
Since a large number of vehicles came to the city from Pune, Nashik, Kolhapur, Raigad, and Satara districts traffic movement during the peak hours was affected, said officials.

Taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers were advised not to ply in the area from where the morcha was supposed to pass.

A L Quadros, head of Mumbai Taximen's Union said, "We have asked our drivers to avoid plying in areas from where the morcha was to pass."
In a bid to facilitate smooth flow of vehicles, the Mumbai traffic police blocked certain roads leading to south Mumbai, the site of the protest and diverted traffic between Byculla and Mumbai Central to CST and Churchgate.
The Central Railway too had made special arrangements to clear the extra rush after the protest was over.

Additional suburban services were pressed into service from 2 pm, said a railway official.
Chief spokesperson of the CR Sunil Udasi said, "Passengers are being regularly informed about our services at all the stations. We ran special local trains in the afternoon as we run during the peak hours. We have also deployed additional RPF jawans at all important stations."
Sitaram (45), one of the participant in the Maratha morcha, who came from the Sangali district, said, "I am happy with the arrangements. But we want justice for our Maratha Samaj. Therefore, our struggle and arrangement made by the administration will be successful only when our demands are met."

A few participants opted to visit the Gateway of India, after the morcha.
Thirty-two year old Prasad Chavan who came from Nanded said, "Today was the big day of my life as I got a chance to become part of this historic rally besides, I also got to see the Gateway (of India) today which was a long-pending wish.