MUMBAI: Afternoon motorists speeding along the Rajiv Gandhi Bandra Worli Sea Link were shocked and amused to see a different type of "four-wheeler" galloping along the southern carriageway.
A partly-decked glowing white mare named Payal, a 'Ghodi', who had run away from a wedding marquee near the Bandra branch of the Sea Link, bolted toward the bridge on Tuesday and before the security officials could react, she was happily trotting beside the traffic.
The robust, four-year-old mare, kept galloping on the 5.60 km long road bridge towards the south Worli arm with motorists slowing down to keep apace with the creature, craning their necks out of the cars, some clicking photos on their mobiles and managed to create quite a traffic snarl.
She gushed on for over 2 km before the Sea Link security cameras alerted the personnel who rushed to rein in her 'toll-free' passage!
After nearly half an hour, Payal was finally stopped in her tracks, calmed and brought under control by a couple of Israeli tourists, who alighted from their vehicles and along with security personnel, slowly guided her out of the speeding lanes.
Subsequently, it was revealed that the runaway horse was meant to transport the bridegroom in a traditional Indian wedding procession, but she was sulking after her handler whipped her and fled from the marquee.
The marriage party was aghast as the bridegroom was left high-and-dry and fuming without his traditional symbolic ride to the marriage pandal.
Animal rights activists criticised the manner in which horses and mares are ill-treated by handlers who hire them out for marriage functions.
The incident came to light after video clips of Payal's free run on the Sea Link were leaked to the media.