Mumbai local trains: Maharashtra further restricts use of train services

Mumbai: With the rising of coronavirus cases, the Maharashtra government has issued fresh restrictions on office attendance and public transport. These guidelines under the Maharashtra government’s `Break- the-Chain’ programme came into force at 8 PM on Thursday and will remain effective till 7 AM on May 1.

As per the fresh curbs, the Mumbai Local Trains will run only for essential services. The new restrictions Now, with the new curbs the government has decided to reduce the presence of people on the streets and in public transport.

1). According to the order issued by Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte, only government personnel and those in emergency services would be allowed to use suburban trains, metro and mono services in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

2). All those engaged in medical services – doctors, nurses, paramedics, lab technicians and clinical staff – will be issued travel passes on basis of identity cards. However, patients needing medical treatment and specially-abled persons can travel in trains.

3). Local railway officers/MSRTC officers will provide all the information that the local Disaster Management Authority may require for screening the people travelling by these trains and alighting in their jurisdiction.

4). At the stoppages where passengers are alighting, all passengers shall be stamped on the hand for14 days home quarantine. Thermal scanners shall be used and anyone with symptoms shall be moved to corona care centers or to a hospital.

5). Notably, 2,985 local train services are currently being operated on the Mumbai suburban network. These constitute about 95% of the total 3,141 services.

6). It also should be noted that the Mumbai local trains were being operated collectively by the Central Railway (CR) and the Western Railway (WR) before the COVID-19 pandemic.

7). However, common people will not be allowed to board Mumbai Local Trains during this restriction period.

8). On Thursday, Maharashtra reported 67,013 fresh coronavirus cases, taking the tally to 40,94,840, while 568 more patients succumbed to the infection.

9). On the other hand, Mumbai recorded 75 deaths due to coronavirus, the highest one-day fatality count since July last year, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. The city reported 7,410 new cases during the day, it added. With this, Mumbai’s caseload jumped to 6,09,000 and death toll to 12,576, the BMC data said.