Over 7,000 policemen will be deployed for the silent march in Mumbai.
Mumbai, especially South Mumbai, is likely to face a near shutdown as the
58th Maratha Kranti Morcha is scheduled to be held today. All schools in areas such as Colaba, Dhobi Talao, Tardeo, Byculla, Dadar, Sion, Mahim will remain shut and the police have also put out advisories especially on traffic diversions. Schools in suburbs will stay open.
The silent march will start at the Byculla Zoo at 10.30 in the morning and end at Azad Maidan near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST).
Over 7,000 policemen will be deployed for the march as about eight to nine lakh people are expected to congregate for the rally.
Traffic will be diverted from Sir JJ Road, Mohammed Ali Road and the JJ flyover up to the CST and motorists are being advised to avoid south Mumbai or take alternate roads like P D'Mello Road which connects to the Eastern Freeway. Local trains are also likely to see huge crowds as lakhs of people will be attempting to get into the city.
The first Maratha Kranti Morcha or Maratha revolutionary march was held on the same day last year in Aurangabad and 57 such silent marches have been staged in various cities across the state so far.
The Maratha Kranti Morcha started after the Koparde Case last year where a young Maratha girl was raped and murdered in Ahmednagar district. The organisers of the March are demanding speedy prosecution and death penalty for those responsible for the crime. Their other demands include quotas for Marathas in educational institutions and government jobs, amendments to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and farm loan waiver.