PARTY WORKERS TAKE OVER WEH, THROW TRAFFIC OUT OF GEAR

MUMBAI: The Western Express Highway (WEH) witnessed bumper-to-bumper traffic between 4pm and 8pm on Monday after supporters of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Narendra Modi blocked two lanes on each side.

According to the traffic police officials, the party worker had not sought any permission.

The traffic situation worsened after over 250 buses, around 20,000 people and at least 300 motorbikes converged at the Centaur junction in Vile Parle around 4pm.

The buses took over twothree lanes on the WEH, officials claimed.

With the north-bound peakhour traffic making its way on the arterial highway connecting south and central Mumbai to the suburbs, extra forces had to be deployed on the road.

“There was no traffic movement on the highway between 7pm and 7.30pm. After Modi left from the airport, the buses and bikes headed to the Bandrakurla Complex, where he was to address diamond merchants,” said a traffic police officer.

The traffic police said the south-bound traffic was clogged all the way to Goregaon, whereas the north-bound traffic went up to the Bandra-worli sea link.

With the situation worsening, the full staff of Vile Parle police, 30 personnel from the Vakola traffic outpost and 40 additional staff members were deployed on the street. By 9pm, the situation had normalised, but movement of vehicles was still slow, said officials.