Zeenews Bureau
Mumbai: A day after lakhs of Mumbaikars bid tearful adieu to Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, the maximum is slowly returning to normalcy on Monday.
Fears of a continued shutdown in Maharashtra, especially in Greater Mumbai, was assuaged to a large extent after Shiv Sena denied having declared a Mumbai bandh today. As if on cue most taxis, autos are back on the roads. BEST buses and local trains are also operating as per their normal schedule.
While retains outlets, especially chemists shops, opened today, several traders’ association have decided to close markets to observe ‘Shradhanjali Day' as a mark of respect for the Maratha strongman. Federation of Associations of Maharashtra (FAM), that has Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) and markets dealing in grains, sugar, dry fruits, metal, iron and steel and chemicals affiliated to it, would be observing a bandh throughout Maharashtra.
The bullion market, Zaveri Bazar, is also completely shut in honour of late Bal Thackeray.
Schools that were to reopen today after the Diwali break decided to postpone their resumption by a day and will open on Tuesday.
Film industry sources informed that cinemas and shooting would resume today after two-day shutdown, reports said.
The mortal remains Bal Thackeray were consigned to flames on Sunday evening as hundreds of thousands of mourners bid him a tearful farewell at the Shivaji Park, from where he had launched the Shiv Sena 46 years back.
An emotional Uddhav Thackeray, the youngest son of the 86-year-old Shiv Sena patriarch, lit the funeral pyre a little after 6 pm, to loud roars of "Balasaheb amar rahe" (long live Balasaheb).
Raj Thackeray, the estranged nephew of Bal Thackeray and MNS chief, stood next to Uddhav with folded hands near the pyre as they accepted the condolences from political leaders, captains of industry, film personalities, relatives, friends and well wishers.
The firebrand Sena supremo, who was critically ill for the past few days, breathed his last on Saturday following a cardiac arrest.
First Published: Monday, November 19, 2012, 08:53