Payoshi Bisht, Pune
The Maratha Morcha led by quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil started on 20th January 2024 at Jalna district is all set to lead the way till Mumbai passing through Pune. The morcha has caused severe roadblocks and traffic jams resulting in travelers missing their flights and trains. Reportedly, more than 100 citizens have been affected by this procession citywide with people complaining of missing their flights and trains due to the traffic on the roads.
This procession has covered all the major roads and highways that are being used by commuters on a daily basis. The volunteers leading the procession are demanding the state government to grant them a reservation for the OBC communities under the banner of jobs and education. Along with thousands of volunteers, the morcha also comprises vehicles which are contributing significantly to the heavy road blockage.
The city traffic police has issued several changes in the routes to ensure a smoother flow of traffic throughout the city and ease congestion.
“Heavy vehicles from Kolhapur, Pune, and Ahmednagar will be stopped at different points before the expressway and they will be allowed to go further in phases as the morcha goes beyond the Khandala ghat section. The Mumbai-to-Pune expressway corridor will remain open for heavy vehicles bound for Pune, Kolhapur and Ahmednagar,” says Lata Phad, Highway Safety Patrol, Superintendent of Police, Pune Unit. However, there are no restrictions for the lighter vehicles.
Citizens have expressed their disappointment and frustration about the inconvenience caused to them due to the procession through social media handles. One such user named Anuraag Shrivastav wrote about the significant troubles caused by the morcha, how it hampers daily life and costs commuters a lot of time and money just to get from one end of the town to another. Other users like Ranjan Sharma expressed his views by saying that while everyone has the right to protest against injustices endowed upon them but it should not be at the cost of disrupting other people’s routines especially in metropolitan cities like Pune. These processions should be kept under certain checks.