As the Mumbai–Ahmedabad highway came to a standstill, Muslim residents of Zar Empire Society in Vasai serve food, tea, and water to stranded motorists, students, and patients
MUMBAI – When the Mumbai–Ahmedabad highway turned into a long stretch of stranded vehicles earlier this week, it was the Muslim residents of Zar Empire Society near Vasai Phata who came forward with compassion and service.
The two-day traffic jam, which began on Tuesday, caused immense suffering to commuters travelling between Ghorbandar and Virar. Ambulances were stuck, passengers missed flights, and over 20 schools postponed their planned picnics. Yet, amid the chaos and frustration, a group of 300 Muslim families turned their concern into action, feeding and helping hundreds of people in distress.
Members of the Zar Empire Society, which houses around 300 Muslim families, voluntarily raised funds to help those stranded in the scorching heat. They distributed bottled water, snacks, tea, sherbet and biscuits to people trapped for hours.
Rizwan Khan, an active social worker from the Zar Empire, said, “Our group has been serving people stuck in traffic for the last two to three days. We appealed to all members of our society to join hands, and everyone contributed. We distributed water bottles, tea, poha and biscuits among the traffic victims. We did this purely out of humanity.”
The initiative brought together more than 25 adults and 100 children, who enthusiastically joined their elders in handing out refreshments. Many locals called it “a sight of unity and kindness” during a time of hardship.
The women of Zar Empire played an equally important role. They prepared tea and breakfast at home, sending it out in large containers for those waiting for hours on the highway.
Mohsin Plasra, another member of Zar Empire, told the media, “We have been serving people coming from both Mumbai and Gujarat for three days. The stretch near Vasai had almost no food shops, and people were suffering. In the heat, we distributed more than 500 boxes of bottled water and prepared over 400 litres of sherbet. The women made tea at home and sent biscuits and poha for breakfast. All this service has been done from the perspective of humanity.”
Their act of kindness not only eased the suffering of travellers but also showed how a united community can uphold compassion in testing times.
The spirit of service extended beyond Zar Empire. People waiting near Vasai Fort for the ‘RoRo’ ferry service to Bhayander were also helped by Muslim social worker Arif Jamil Ahmed Sheikh and his group from Musaji Gali, Vasai (West). They distributed biscuits, vada pav, and water bottles to motorists waiting for hours in a queue stretching over one and a half kilometres.
Sheikh told reporters, “When I saw people waiting in the sun for hours, I felt it was our duty to help. We arranged some snacks and water. It was not much, but people were grateful.”
The traffic congestion, which lasted nearly two days, caused major disruption across Mumbai’s suburbs. Ambulances carrying patients were stuck for hours, several passengers missed their flights, and families returning from work were trapped without food or water.
Anil Garg, Chairman of the Educational Tour Operators Association, said, “Keeping in mind the heavy traffic on the Mumbai–Ahmedabad highway, more than 20 schools in Mumbai and nearby areas postponed their picnics. Students were facing difficulty, and many schools have now decided to go after Diwali.”
Teachers, local volunteers, and residents praised the efforts of Zar Empire’s Muslim families for their quick action and community spirit. Hifzur Rehman Ansari, a school teacher and resident of Zar Empire, said, “Our group has always done social work without discrimination. All 300 families participated in this campaign to help traffic victims. We did what any human being should do.”
Their selfless work stood out as a symbol of communal harmony and shared humanity. Despite the scorching heat and long hours, the volunteers continued distributing food and water until late evening each day.
Local residents described the act as “a message of hope in a time of frustration”. As one commuter said, “I was stuck in traffic for hours with my children. We had no water left. Then these people came with sherbet and snacks. They didn’t ask who we were. They just helped.”
While traffic returned to normal by Thursday, the memory of the Zar Empire residents’ generosity has stayed with thousands who benefited from their efforts. For many, their work was not just about food and water — it was a reminder that compassion still lives strong in the hearts of ordinary citizens.
As Rizwan Khan summed it up, “We did not do this for fame. We did it because helping others is part of our faith and our humanity.”
