Mumbai police issued a traffic advisory in anticipation of the impact thousands of farmers will have on commutation as they arrive in Mumbai as part of the ‘Long March’.
In a notification, the Mumbai Police said that the Eastern Express Highway south bound from Anand Nagar Toll Plaza in Mulund up to Somaiya Ground in Sion will be closed to heavy goods vehicles from 9 am to 10 pm on Sunday.
The farmers are expected to enter Mumbai at the Anandnagar Toll at around 10 am and will march through parts of the city till they reach Somaiyya Ground at around 9 pm.
The Mumbai Police has diverted routes for movement of heavy vehicles. For those coming from Thane, the diversion goes via Kalwa, Vitava, Airoli and Vashi Creek. For the vehicles moving from Mumbai to Thane, the diverted route goes via Sion-Panvel Highway, Vashi Creek Bridge, Airoli and Vitava.
Speed restriction for light vehicles has been placed. Vehicles have been advised to move at 20 km per hour speed along the route of the Long March.
The Long March is a protest movement of farmers and adivasis who began their march from Nashik on Tuesday evening. They are covering the 180 km distance to Mumbai with night halts every 30-odd kilometre.
Reports say that the crowd of protesters has swelled to about 35,000. They will be protesting outside the Maharashtra Assembly in Mumbai on Monday. The police have made heavy security arrangements in place in anticipation.