Maratha quota protests hit businesses across South Mumbai, spark fear among citizens

Deepak Parikh, partner at Roopmilan, a popular clothing store near Marine Lines, echoed the sentiment. “Our weekend sale simply ended before it began. Customers called saying they couldn’t reach us because of traffic and fear of getting caught in the protests,” he said

MUMBAI: The Maratha quota agitation, which entered Mumbai with more than 25,000 supporters led by activist Manoj Jarange Patil on Friday, has not only paralysed traffic but also left a severe dent in business across some of the city’s busiest commercial hubs.

Mumbai, India. Sep 01, 2025 - Maratha Protesters take the rest near Azad Maidan. Supporters and members of the Maratha community gathered at Azad Maidan to support Jarange Patil. Maratha quota agitation leader Manoj Jarange Patil began an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan in South Mumbai on Friday. Over 50,000 supporters and members of the Maratha community gathered at the site to show their support for Jarange Patil. He is staging this hunger strike to demand a 10 percent quota for Marathas under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. Mumbai, India. Sep 01, 2025. (Photo by Raju Shinde/HT Photo) (Raju Shinde)

From Crawford Market and Zaveri Bazaar to Nariman Point and Fashion Street, usually buzzing with weekend shoppers, shops have worn a deserted look since Friday. Traders say the disruption has been especially damaging during the ongoing festive season, a time when sales usually peak.

“Weekend sales are crucial for retailers. This time, the protests ruined it completely. More than 5,000 wholesale shops in the Crawford Market area have been adversely affected,” said Viren Shah, president of the Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association (FRTWA) and owner of Roopam Store.

Deepak Parikh, partner at Roopmilan, a popular clothing store near Marine Lines, echoed the sentiment. “Our weekend sale simply ended before it began. Customers called saying they couldn’t reach us because of traffic and fear of getting caught in the protests,” he said.

Restaurants and entertainment outlets have been equally hard hit. Bhavesh Patel, who runs a vegetarian restaurant, World of Palates, and premium liquor store, World of Wines, in CR2 Mall at Nariman Point, said business was down by nearly 75 per cent.

“We have a 144-seater restaurant but it was largely empty. Even food delivery orders on Swiggy and Zomato dropped. Our rentals, salaries, GST and EMIs continue, but revenue has almost stopped. The administration could have handled this much better,” Patel said.

Adding to the uncertainty, many residents of South Mumbai have preferred to stay indoors. “Because of constant traffic snarls and reports of violence, people are simply not stepping out unless absolutely necessary,” said Prayas Sanganeria of Prime World of Luxury Writing, Nariman Point.

Several businesses that remained shut through Friday and Saturday reopened on Sunday and Monday but reported little or no footfall. Traders’ associations have appealed to the government to resolve the deadlock at the earliest.

The agitation has also witnessed flashes of violence. On Sunday evening, protesters allegedly assaulted passengers of a BEST bus in Juhu. According to police, agitators stopped route number 201 around 7.15 pm, thrashed a passenger, and smashed a windowpane before fleeing the scene. A complaint has been registered.

On Monday, protesters blocked roads near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Crawford Market, briefly disrupting traffic. “There were disturbances at a few places in the morning, including the Eastern Freeway, but the situation was brought under control,” said Anil Kumbhare, joint commissioner of police (traffic).

For many shopkeepers and small businesses, however, the damage has already been done. As one trader put it, “We cannot afford to stay shut, but even when we open, there is no business. Unless the government intervenes quickly, the losses will only deepen.”