Keypoints:
- Last year on Oct 16, after a series of rejections, the Railways finally gave in to Maharashtra government’s interests of starting Mumbai locals for women, during off peak hours.
- Currently, differently-abled people, cancer patients, women, and lawyers are allowed to travel by train too.
- Crowd control management is the real challenge.
After facing a series of rejections, last year on Oct 16, the railways finally approved and allowed the Mumbai local trains to resume for women during off peak hours only. Just after receiving countless pleas by the citizens of the city, the railways have been considering to start suburban local train services by the end of January or the first week of February.
With the second day of vax drive in Mumbai on Tuesday, reports of likeliness of Mumbai locals to resume by the end of Jan or the first week of Feb, have been coming in.According to some sources of the Railways, due to the ongoing vaccination drive across the state and the number of positive cases reduction in the city, the suburban local trains services are likely to resume for everyone.
Even though there is a strong possibility of resumption of local train services for all public by February 1st week, the Railways officials have highlighted that the move would take place only after a thorough review of the current situation.
“Currently, we are operating more than 90% of local train services and do not have any problems. We are waiting for the state government directive on allowing the general public. A decision is expected soon, once the pandemic situation is reviewed.”, states a railway official.
“There has not yet been any finalisation on resumption of train services for the public. Discussions are underway. Only after completely reviewing the situation with the state government and the observance of coronavirus protocols, will local train services be resumed”, adds the official.
Currently, differently-abled people, cancer patients, women, and lawyers are allowed to travel by train too.
