Maharashtra Bandh disrupts operations at Mumbai airport

Hundreds of passenger stranded at the Mumbai airport arrival terminal, no shows en masse on most flights and angry demonstrations in the street outside the cargo area disrupted air operations on the second day of clashes and caste tensions between groups that brought India's financial capital to a near standstill.

"People are stranded at arrivals although there is no situation of panic yet," said a spokesperson at the Mumbai International Airport Ltd. (MIAL), the GVK Power and Infra led consortium that runs the second-busiest and most congested airport in the country.

She added that MIAL had tried arranging services of the local state-run bus operator for passengers but didn't manage. She didnt elaborate.


Meanwhile, carriers faced passenger no shows on almost every flight as mobs and cops in the streets stopped traffic from moving, especially in the highways.

There were flight delays as airline crew failed to reach the airport in time.

At least 229 flights to and from Mumbai were delayed on Wednesday, while at least 12 were cancelled, according to data on Flightradar24.com

"SpiceJet will waive off cancellation and date change charges and offer a full refund to passengers booked on flights to and from Mumbai and Pune for travel on January 3, 2018," said a statement from the low-fare carrier.

Vistara sent out a tweet on similar lines.

Earlier in the day, a mob demonstrated and stone pelted in the streets adjacent to the cargo hold area at Mumbai airport.

Groups of the Dalit community took to violent protests in various cities of Maharashtra including Pune, Nashik and Ambad apart from Mumbai, since yesterday after a celebration commemorating a 200-year old battle was disrupted by right wing groups.

Several bus operations were disrupted by protestors and some trains stopped. School buses refused to ply and offices issued advisories and asked employees to return to their homes.

Security arrangements were stepped at stations in areas such as Ghatkopar in central Mumbai which had been more violent.