Heavy vehicle entry barred on Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway, traffic diversions issued; the large crowd comprising Communist party members dressed in black marched from Tarapur to Palghar, where local fishermen, the Adivasi community, and labourers joined them in protesting outside the Collector’s Office
The large crowd that gathered on Monday to protest in Palghar. PIC/SHIRISH VAKTANIA
A major traffic jam occurred on Monday along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad NH-48 highway due to a protest against the Vadhavan Port and “other destructive mega projects being imposed on the district”, including on forest and land across Palghar and Dahanu. The large crowd comprising Communist party members dressed in black marched from Tarapur to Palghar, where local fishermen, the Adivasi community, and labourers joined them in protesting outside the Collector’s Office.
The protesters strongly opposed the Vadhavan Port, the proposed airport, Murbe Port, the Kelwe Textile Park, and the so-called ‘Fourth Mumbai’ project. They alleged that these projects are environmentally destructive, socially unjust, and pose a direct threat to the survival of the local population.
Speaking with mid-day Ramkrishnan Tandel, president of the National Fishworkers Forum (NFF), said, “All these projects will lead to destruction of traditional fishing livelihoods and marine ecosystems, apart from large-scale displacement of Adivasi and farming communities. There will be a loss of agricultural land, salt pans, mangroves, and shared coastal resources due to these projects. These projects will destroy around 107 villages from Palghar to Dahanu. Such destructive development will not be accepted by the people of Palghar.”
Tandel asserted that fishermen will not be able to fish if Vadhavan Port is constructed. “This project is not environmentally friendly; it will damage the sea, forest and land,” he added. The Communist party was set to march and protest at the Palghar Collector’s Office today as well. As a result, major traffic jams can be expected on the NH-48, impacting those travelling between Mumbai and Gujarat.
To maintain law and order, police personnel have been deployed at Hutatma Chowk in Palghar, at railway stations from Palghar to Dahanu, Old Palghar, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk, and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Chowk. All schools along the route of the protest march have been given a holiday. On Monday, local schools were shut at 10 am.
NH-48 traffic advisory
The Palghar traffic police issued an advisory regarding heavy traffic along NH-48 from 8 am to 10 pm on Monday, and 6 am to 2 pm today. Heavy vehicles have been barred, and they will be stopped from entering at Acchad Naka and Amboli.
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