Mumbai: Maratha reservation protesters brought the commercial hubs of the island city to a standstill as Crawford Market and its surrounding wholesale markets remained shut through the morning and much of the afternoon on August 29. The iconic eatery “Badshah Cold Drink” shut shop early as a large crowd of protestors gathered in the area. “There were so many people here that we couldn’t take a chance in case something happens,” said a staff member.White-coloured cars bearing saffron flags were parked three rows deep on D.N. Road leading up to Crawford Market, cutting off access to many shops and forcing long-standing establishments like “Peekay Wines” to remain closed.Business in the area began to resume in the evening, but footfalls remained sparse. Shopkeepers were seen shutting their establishments by 8pm, uncharacteristically early for a neighbourhood usually bustling with shoppers and diners late into the night.“On weekends the shop can make almost 1 lakh in a day. Today, our total take was 2,000,” said a worker at a dry fruit shop. —Mahiyar Patel
