In protest of Special Entertainment Zone being constructed in the area, residents of villages near Thane surrounded the Esselworld theme park on the outskirts of the city and prevented people from entering there, sources said on Monday. The zone spread over 1000 hectares and is being constructed in the Gorai-Manori-Uttan area in neighbouring Thane by Essel Infraprojects Limited, a subsidiary of the Essel Group. Protestors gathered on the road to the theme park on Sunday where they shouted slogans and took out a rally in a peaceful manner against the construction of the proposed SEZ, they said. They also used fishing boats and other vessels to block ferry services across the Gorai creek to the theme park, they said. The protestors included NGO workers and inhabitants of ten villages from the area, housing close to one lakh persons, which would likely be affected by the proposed SEZ. The protestors sought the in-principle approval from the Union Ministry of Commerce for the project be withdrawn.