Trains delayed, traffic hit as BJP workers throng Mumbai

Traffic snarls were reported at some places and several trains arrived late after BJP workers, being ferried in special trains for the party's 38th Foundation Day rally here, insisted on unscheduled halts en route, railway officials said.

The party apologised for the traffic problems on account of the rally, which was addressed by its chief Amit Shah in suburban Bandra.

Speaking at the rally, Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar apologised to the Mumbaikars for the "hardships" caused because of heavy traffic snarls due to the motorcycle rally to welcome Shah in Mumbai yesterday and today.

When Shah was asked about the traffic problems, he told reporters that Shelar had already expressed regret on the issue.

The BJP, in order to bring maximum people for the rally, had chartered 28 trains, officials said.

However, the BJP workers alleged that their special trains were late by two to five hours as the railways did not run them on priority.

Rail activist Subhash Gupta, who was tasked with the railway arrangements by the BJP, confirmed that the trains arrived late, but refused to blame the railways for it.

"It is true that all the trains arrived late on Central and Western Railways, but we should not blame the railways as special trains are run for a specific purpose and they are operated in a certain manner, so that the schedules of the regular trains are not hit or compromised," he said.

Gupta said the railways ensured that the regular trains were not delayed because of the special services.

A train, scheduled to arrive at the Bandra station at 8 am, arrived at 1 pm, he added.

Railway officials, on the condition of anonymity, attributed the delay to the passengers demanding an unscheduled and longer halt at the Nandurbar station.

Motorists had a tough time during the morning rush hour, especially on the arterial Western Express Highway between Andheri and Bandra, as the BJP workers coming for the rally by road contributed to massive traffic snarls.

The traffic police had issued an advisory, asking the people to avoid the arterial roads in the city in view of the rally.