Security guards successfully prevented the breach, following which the club decided to restrict gate access for the next two days. Vehicular entry and exit will be permitted only through designated gates — Gate No 1 (inward, main lobby), Gate No 3 (outward, main lobby), and Gate No 4 (inward/outward, main parking)
Bombay Gymkhana gates closed as Maratha quota agitation escalates. PIC/SHADAB KHAN
The Cricket Club of India (CCI) announced precautionary measures after agitators associated with the ongoing Maratha Morcha attempted to enter its premises.
Security guards successfully prevented the breach, following which the club decided to restrict gate access for the next two days. Vehicular entry and exit will be permitted only through designated gates — Gate No 1 (inward, main lobby), Gate No 3 (outward, main lobby), and Gate No 4 (inward/outward, main parking).
The CCI, located in Churchgate, shut its gates on Monday afternoon after groups of protesters attempted to enter the premises. Security personnel, supported by police, quickly intervened to prevent escalation. While no untoward incident was reported inside, club officials decided to suspend operations for the day as a precautionary measure.
Similarly, around 3 pm, the Bombay Gymkhana, located opposite Azad Maidan, also announced closure until further notice.
“With the morcha swelling around the ground and access routes blocked, the club management decided to suspend all operations for safety concerns of the members,” said an official from Gymkhana.
In a circular to its members, the Royal Bombay Yacht Club also announced the closure of its main entrance owing to the ongoing agitation. Members have been directed to use the employee entrance until further notice, with the management citing the need to safeguard property and ensure security. The notice added that the Taj Mahal Palace, located nearby, has also adopted a similar protocol.
The Maratha reservation agitation brought South Mumbai to a standstill on Monday, prompting the closure of not just the landmark clubs, but also museums and other cultural spaces, as thousands of protesters occupied the Fort area.
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) museum also shut its doors temporarily.
The Maratha Morcha, led by activist Manoj Jarange Patil, drew tens of thousands into the Fort area. Protesters camped on pavements, lanes, and open grounds, braving heavy rain and preparing food in makeshift kitchens. Their presence brought civic and commercial life in South Mumbai to a near halt.
Traffic movement around Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Fort, and Marine Lines was paralysed. Key arteries, including the Eastern Freeway, P D’Mello Road, Dadabhai Naoroji Road, and Marine Drive were either closed or diverted. Public transport services were curtailed, cultural programmes cancelled, and several offices switched to remote work.
Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court, observing that the agitation had “paralysed the city,” directed that streets be vacated by September 2 to restore normalcy.
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