Even though the Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is reluctant to resume the Mumbai locals for the ordinary people, citizens across Mumbai have reportedly grown impatient in absence of a convenient transportation system.
In view of the growing demands, several passenger associations have called for a protest outside stations, namely, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) on August 15.
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and the subsequent lockdowns, the suburban railway system has been halted for the general crowd. According to reports, before the local trains were closed for the general public in April 2020, about 8 million people used to travel by the suburban network. Also known as the lifeline of Mumbai, the local trains are a mass transit system spread across 456km and connects the city to the expanding Mumbai Metropolitan Region through 140 stations.
Meanwhile, the services have been suspended for the general public for the second time in over three months. Earlier, the local train network was suspended for 10 months in March 2020 owing to the spread of coronavirus and resumed only in February 2021.
On the other hand, the Government of Maharashtra has relaxed coronavirus lockdown restrictions across some districts as the number of cases has dropped significantly. Several activities have resumed in the city of Mumbai, with malls, gyms, pubs etc. resuming their operations for the general public.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, earlier on Monday, August 2, 2021, said that the public cannot travel in the trains due to the predicted third COVID-19 wave in mind. This decision has disappointed commuters in Mumbai and the nearby metropolitan region (MMR) who have been awaiting positive responses from the government for the last few days.
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