Mumbai local trains: Railways to run its full local services from Friday

Mumbai: Western Railway will begin operating all of its suburban train services in Mumbai from January 29. A total of 1,367 local train services will begin operating on slow and fast railway corridors from Friday, the Western Railways said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Western Railway has decided to start all its suburban services by increasing existing 1,201 special services to 1,367 from Friday 29 January,” the statement said. Suburban train services had been put on hold in March last year in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic before services were resumed partially with restrictions in July.

All passengers are still not allowed to travel by local trains. Only employees working in essential care services, specially-abled and cancer patients are allowed to travel by local trains. Women passengers and lawyers are allowed to commute in a stipulated time period.

Tuesday’s decision to operate all trains comes a day after a meeting to resume local train services for all passengers was chaired by Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. Currently, the Western Railway operates 1,201 train services carrying approximately nine lakh passengers daily.

The Central Railway presently operates 1,580 local train services. Train services resumed for employees working in essential care services on July 15, 2020. Western Railway will operate additional new local train services from January 29. Train services will be increased from 1201 to 1300.

Earlier, the Western Railway had announced to operate all of its local train services from January 29. However on Wednesday late night the decision was changed. Further, the Central Railway will also operate additional services from January 29. 1685 local train services will be operated. Presently 1,580 train services are operated on Central Railway.