Mumbai: A day before the silent protest march to be held by the Maratha community, the Mumbai police on Tuesday said that it is still processing applications sent by organisers to the respective deputy commissioners. The police said that it received applications late Monday night and the same were being looked into for permissions.
Still, massive security arrangements have been put in place for the rally, with police planning to use drones and hi-tech CCTV networks that were recently used to cover Mumbai. CCTV cameras of traffic police, which existed even before the hi-tech cameras were put up, have been integrated and each footstep will be under surveillance, an official said.
Rashmi Karandikar, deputy commissioner and Mumbai police spokes-person, said, “We have made elaborate arrangements for the rally and local police and other forces will also be deployed.”
The rally will begin from Byculla’s Jeejamata Udyan and terminate at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai, where the gathering is likely to take place. There will be heavy police presence at Azad Maidan for better coordination and to ensure that law and order is maintained.
In addition to local police, state reserve police, local arms division, riot control police, quick response team commandos, and policemen in civil clothes will be part of the security cordon, the official said. As per police estimates, at least 10 lakh protesters are expected and the crowd is likely to swell with passage of time. Vehicular traffic will be shut down on the stretch between Byculla and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus station between 9am and 5pm. There will be substantial deployment of Mumbai traffic police and citizens will be kept updated via the Mumbai traffic police’s twitter handle and FM radio.
