Mumbai traffic control has U-turned and decided to give Queer Azaadi Mumbai (Mumbai Pride) permission to march through the city on Saturday 2 February.

‘We went in to see the Joint Commissioner of Police Traffic as a delegation, three gay men and two lesbian women,’ march organizer Pallav Patankar told Gay Star News.

‘We requested that he reconsider our application. He asked us to give him some time, so we went back yesterday and were surprised that we had received permission.’

Queer Azaadi Mumbai started on 15 January with queer games, a photography exhibition and film screenings.

‘The community thanks the traffic police for reconsidering its decision,’ Patankar said to Times of India. ‘This is one of the biggest pride marches in India.’

Queer Azaadi (which means freedom) Mumbai has been celebrated since 2008 but the first Pride march in the city was in 2005.

Earlier this month Mumbai traffic control rejected Queer Azaadi Mumbai’s application to march through the center of the city.