By IANS,
Mumbai : Around 5,000 protestors blocked the Mumbai-Goa highway for nearly three hours Tuesday, opposing the upcoming Maha Mumbai Special Economic Zone (MMSEZ) promoted by Reliance Industries Ltd.
Led by Jagati Karan Virodhi Kriti Samiti leaders Anant Patil and N.D. Patil, the agitation began at 11 a.m. at Vashi Naka in Raigad, nearly 100 km from Mumbai.
Police officials said traffic was diverted to the old Mumbai-Pune highway via Khopoli and Pali, causing huge traffic pile-ups in Chembur in central Mumbai and till Ratnagari district, nearly 250 km from here.
The morning peak-hour traffic on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway was badly affected.
Around 40 protestors belonging to the Samiti were arrested, police officials said.
They added that traffic slowly resumed on the Goa and Pune routes after about 2 p.m. when the protestors dispersed.