The Maharashtra Government has geared up its entire machinery to ensure that normal life is not affected during the nation-wide bandh called by Opposition parties today to protest the fuel price hike and warned that any attempts to disrupt law and order would be dealt with seriously.
About 40,000 police personnel are on the streets of Mumbai to avert any incidence of violence. The city police is being assisted by Rapid Action Force (RAF) and state reserve police forces to maintain law and order.
Opposition parties, which have called for the bandh, have described the hike in petroleum products as "unjustified" and demanded a rollback.
Samajwadi Party, Shiv Sena, MNS and other smaller non-Congress-NCP parties in Maharashtra are supporting the bandh called by the NDA and Left parties.
The government has warned that any person or political party indulging in acts of violence and arson will be made to pay compensation.
Opposition parties have planned a series of 'rail rokos' at prominent railway stations like Borivali, Andheri, Dadar and 'rasta rokos' in central Mumbai during the early peak hours.
Over 1000 political workers belonging to different parties have already been issued notices under section 149 of the CRPC.
Mahendra Singh, CPM Mumbai secretary, alleged that police have indulged in preventive arrests of political workers and issued notices to several of them to foil the bandh even though Home Minister R R Patil claims that action has been taken against only activists with criminal background.
"I appeal people to come out. We have taken all security measures to ensure no untoward incident takes place. Anyone who takes law into their hands and attempts to paralyse the city shall be dealt with strictly," warned Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjeev Dayal.
BJP State unit president Sudhir Mungattiwar will lead the protests in Mumbai while Leader of opposition in the legislative assembly Eknath Khadse will be in Pune. Leader of opposition in the Legislative council Pandurang Phundkar will take part in the protests at Aurangabad.
The state government has said that adequate security personnel have been stationed at railway stations, bus stops airports and important roads.
The government has said that Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses and other additional bus services will be pressed into service from airports and important railway stations for the benefit of passengers who arrive in the city from long distant trains.
The government is considering filing a contempt petition in the court since Supreme court had ruled that bandh, hartal and strike were illegal.
As the suburban trains are likely to be targeted by protestors supporting bandh, adequate number of railway policemen would be deployed at stations for smooth functioning of railway service, police said.
"We have asked our staff to be on high alert," said a Western Railways spokesperson, adding that "motormen will also be guarded by security men as the protestors may target them to derail train services."
Essential services like water, milk, electricity and hospitals have been excluded from the bandh. In view of the bandh, very few people ventured out in the early office hours
Several educational institutions were closed.