A bandh called in Manori and Gorai by fishing and Koli communities opposing the proposed Manori desalination plant received a lukewarm response on October 19, with ferry services, shops, resorts and public transport continuing to operate normally. The protest, however, brought renewed attention to local concerns over a major infrastructure project in Mumbai’s coastal belt.
The bandh was organised alongside a ‘Chalo Bandra’ protest march to the Suburban Collector’s office in Bandra East. Around 12 to 14 community and fishing groups, including the Akhil Maharashtra Machhimar Kruti Samiti, joined the protest with support from local villagers and environmental activists.
Protesters alleged that police stopped a private bus carrying villagers who were travelling to the Suburban Collector’s office. The supplied report does not include a response from the police to the allegation.
Despite concerns that the bandh could disrupt access to Manori, ferry services between the Marve area and Manori continued to run. A Mid-Day photographer travelled to Manori by ferry and found tourists and commuters using the service as usual. Shops and resorts in the area were also open, while transport services continued to operate normally.
Manori is a popular tourist destination with resorts and hotels that attract visitors from across Mumbai. The continuation of ferry operations meant that guests could reach the area despite the bandh call. A staff member at a popular resort in Gorai said the protest was intended to oppose the proposed desalination plant, but the resort continued accepting bookings because ferry and other services were operational.
“We have bookings and some guests have already arrived at the resort without any difficulty,” the staff member said, adding that the resort had informed visitors it would arrange pick-up if they were unable to find transport.
Another resort staff member also said bookings continued and that guests had reached the property without difficulty. The account indicates that the immediate effect of the bandh on tourism and local mobility was limited, although the protest itself reflected opposition from fishing communities and other local groups to the proposed plant.
The desalination project has become a point of concern for communities whose livelihoods and daily activities are linked to the coastal landscape around Manori and Gorai. The report does not provide details of the plant’s proposed capacity, construction timeline, land requirement or environmental approval status.
The October 19 mobilisation therefore combined two distinct developments: a largely unaffected day-to-day transport and tourism network, and a community-led protest seeking to place objections to the proposed infrastructure project before the Suburban Collector’s office. Further official information on the project and the administration’s response to the protesters was not available in the supplied report.
