Protesters disrupt services at CST
MUMBAI: Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus witnessed high drama and chaos for almost six hours on Wednesday, when about 2,0002,500 protesters thronged the station. The mob shouted slogans and paralysed train operations for 20 minutes, causing severe inconvenience to commuters.
“From 2.30pm, protesters returning from Azad Maidan suddenly started a protest at the main concourse of the suburban station at CST. They also stopped train movement on all six platforms for about 20 minutes, jumping on tracks on the Masjid-end of CST around 4.40pm,” said Atul Rane, chief public relations officer, CR. He added that CR was forced to cancel four services while 15 others were delayed by 10-15 minutes.
According to the Government Railway Police (GRP), the protesters belonged to Prahar Apang Kranti Andolan, Prahar Kisan Mitra Sanghtana and a few other organisations, and were led by independent MLA Bacchu Kadu. “They agitated at Azad Maidan for various demands, which the state government agreed to. But though the chief minister agreed to meet them on Thursday, protesters insisted for a meeting on the same day and began an agitation at CST,” said a source in the GRP.
Protesters were mainly farmers and handicapped people, who had gathered from many parts of the state. Continuously shouting slogans, they occupied most of the suburban station, leaving no place for passengers. “There was lot of rush and chaos at CST station when I reached there to catch a Pune-bound train around 4.15pm,” said Rajesh Tambe, a Pune resident.
According to sources, motormen and guards found it difficult to reach the trains, as protesters blocked their passage. After their complaints, the railway administration was forced to provide them GRP and RPF escorts to reach stations. “Thankfully it was public holiday. Otherwise, the situation would have been much worse,” said a senior railway official.
The mob not only paralysed services but also posed a threat to the passenger movement, following which the city police had to be summoned to keep the situation under control.