2024-07-05 00:55:02
As a sea of fans started gathering at Mumbai’s Marine Drive and Wankhede stadium on Thursday to welcome the Indian cricket team, days after it emerged victorious in the T20I World Cup in Barbados, chock-a-block crowds and traffic were witnessed at several roads leading to the stadium.
The Mumbai police had on Monday appealed to the fans to reach Marine Drive before 4.30 pm and assemble on the promenade side, as a victory procession in an open bus is scheduled to be held between 5 and 7 pm between Nariman Point and Wankhede Stadium.
Subsequently, seven roads — N S Road (North Bound), N S Road (South Bound), Veer Nariman Road (North Bound), Dinshaw Vacha Road, Madam Cama Road, Barrister Rajni Patel Marg and Vinay K Shah Marg — were announced closed by the traffic police authorities.
“Despite making prior announcements, people have reached in their private vehicles which is adding to the chaos,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police Pradhnya Jhedge (traffic-south).
According to the police officials, heavy traffic snarls have been reported on the Chowpatty seaface road, New Queens road, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel road and NS Patkar road. Vehicular movement was also affected on Maharshi Karve road near Churchgate station, VN Road, Shahid Bhagat Singh road and P D’Mello road.
Jhedge further added, “We are taking extra efforts and have deputed more manpower to ensure that no untoward incident takes place and traffic management is in place.”
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde spoke to Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar about crowd management, and asked him to deploy additional police force across Nariman Point and enroute from NCPA to Wankhede Stadium.
Police personnel were also deployed at Churchgate and Marine Lines, who appealed to people to not crowd at the stations or use loudspeakers.
