Mumbai airport's services hit after protests, 33 flights cancelled

The Maharashtra bandh called by various Dalit organisations on Wednesday affected normal life across the state with sporadic incidents of violence breaking out in several cities and towns. 

Flight operations at Mumbai airport were badly hit due to the Maharashtra-wide protestcalled by various Dalit groups, with 33 flights, 32 of themfrom Jet Airways, getting cancelled.

Besides, as many as 377 flights, both flying into andoutof the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA), whichis the world's busiest single-runway airport, were delayed.

The shutdown, called to protest the state's "failure"to stop violence against celebration of the 200th anniversaryof the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district on Monday,disrupted normal life across Maharashtra, including Mumbai.

After some stone pelting were reported from parts of Mumbai's Andheri, the bus services were discontinued, forcingmany passengers to stay back at the airport itself. Followingthis the airport offered refreshments to stranded passengers. The Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh leader Prakash Ambedkar had called for the shutdown to protest against the state's"failure" to stop the violence at Bhima Koregaon village inPune district on Monday.