Security up, medical help provided to needy marchers

The Maratha Kranti Morcha in Mumbai on Wednesday went largely smoothly with heavy bandobast on the roads, efficient handling of rail traffic and medical attention to ailing protestors. In a bid to ensure the smooth movement of traffic in the city several diversions were made by the traffic police and a few arterial roads were blocked.

Since a large number of people were expected to participate in the rally, the Mumbai Traffic Police made elaborate arrangement to ensure that citizens face minimum traffic congestion.

“Around 2,500 Mumbai traffic police personnel and additional 1,000 traffic wardens were deployed to regulate the traffic,” said Amitesh Kumar, joint commissioner of police (Traffic).

Mumbai traffic police had been updating citizens with traffic situations via Twitter, FM Radio and other means.

Extensive police arrangements were made as the march was closely monitored by Mumbai police officials. The police officials were also seen in plain clothes and on several watchtowers with binoculars. Besides this, Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras, drones as well as surveillance vans with 360-degree rotating cameras helped Mumbai police to make the silent protest peaceful.

Heavy security was deployed at a few railway stations on both central and harbour railway lines as large number of protestors plied by trains from Thane, Vashi and Panvel on Wednesday morning. There was a heavy deployment of railway police officials at stations like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Byculla, Mulund, Kurla, Wadala, Belapur and Vashi stations.

At least 490 Railway Protection Force (RPF) officials and around 564 Government Railway Police (GRP) officials were roped in for managing the swelling crowd on the central line.

Out of the over one lakh protesters 3,000 people were given medication as they were suffering from dehydration and vomiting. Doctors said that they were well prepared and they got only three serious patients who were sent to St George hospital for treatment and were discharged late on Wednesday.

The civic health department had made all arrangements to give emergency treatment to people if needed. “At all the health posts more than ten doctors were appointed including medical, paramedical and resident doctors from KEM and Cooper hospital. We had kept all types of medicines and extra 100 electoral packets were distributed to those suffering from dehydration,” said Dr Shirish Kumar, Assistant Medical Officer.

The doctors said mostly they got the patients with headache, body pain, dehydration and minor injuries. “Around 3,700 people were treated at the health post located near Azad Maidan and Fashion Street. The medicines were given to the people who were feeling giddiness, vomiting, headache, and dehydration,” said Dr. Sushil Savalkar, Assistant Medical Officer.