Now, all fully-vaccinated people will be allowed to board Mumbai local trains irrespective of their profession. The Maharashtra government on Tuesday issued an order allowing citizens, irrespective of the nature of their jobs, who have received both their jobs, board suburban trains in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). Currently, the Central Railway and the Western Railway had been issuing a monthly pass to vaccinated commuters instead of daily tickets to curtail the crowd. Both the railways on Monday said suburban services in Mumbai will be operated at the 100 per cent capacity of the pre-pandemic level from October 28.
The state government in its order extended the definition of fully vaccinated people to cover even those people who are working in non-essential sectors. The state had on Monday reported its lowest daily coronavirus cases since the pandemic began in March, 2020.
All Your FAQs on the New Rules Answered:
Who Can Travel in Mumbai Local Trains Now?
• People who have taken both the doses of vaccines against COVID-19 and completed 14 days after inoculation can travel in local trains, the order said.
• The government also stated that the people working in essential sectors must be fully vaccinated and should have completed the 14 days post-inoculation before they can be allowed to board local trains.
How Many Trains Will Operate Now?
• The Central Railway (CR) will operate 1,774 local train services on the CR and 1,367 on the Western Railway, up from the current 1,702 and 1,304 trains on the CR and WR, respectively.
• Currently, the Central Railway and the Western Railway have been issuing a monthly pass to vaccinated commuters instead of daily tickets to curtail the crowd. Notably, both the railways on Monday said suburban services in Mumbai will be operated at the 100 per cent capacity of the pre-pandemic level from October 28, but the existing travel restrictions for the general public will remain unchanged. This decision was taken considering the increased flow of commuters, an official had said on Monday.
• The order says that passes for train travel (local train and passenger trains) of all kinds – monthly/ quarterly/ half yearly – will allowed to be issued to the commuters who fall within the allowed category of a ‘vaccinated person’.
Who Were Allowed to Board Locals Before?
During the lockdown on March 23 last year, the suburban train services were suspended. On June 15, the partial resumption of services was announced, but only those deemed to be essential service providers were permitted to board these trains after being issued a special pass.
A brief timeline of gradual reopening of the locals amid the pandemic:
• 2020:
March 22- Mumbai local trains were suspended.
June 15- After almost 3 months, 120 services were resumed and a handful trains plied only essential staff.
September 5- Pharmaceutical, pathological and lab testing employees allowed to travel using Mumbai local.
September 10- Aircraft maintenance crew, private electricity supply companies staff allowed to take locals.
September 19- Co-operative and private bank employees get nod too.
September 21- Local services increased to 500 from 350.
September 28- Demo flap barrier gates installed at Mumbai’s CSMT.
October 2- Private security guards in uniform get permission.
October 15- AC locals resumed by Western Railways, services up to 700.
October 17- All women commuters allowed by the state government.
October 26- Practicing lawyers get nod to travel.
November 13- Teaching and non-teaching staff get nod to travel.
November 20- Last suburban corridor opened.
November 24- Railways paste distance marker stickers on seats.
November 26- No children on board locals with women.
• 2021
This year on January 29, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced that all local trains would resume services from 1 February. Later, the state government opened local trains to those who have received both the doses of Covid-19 vaccines, with special monthly passes being issued with offline verification procedure for COVID-19 vaccination.
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