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Maharashtra govt may allow general public to travel in local trains during non-peak hours

Last month, state minister Vijay Wadettiwar had announced that the Chief Minister is positive about opening up trains for all. He also claimed that the train services might resume for general public from the first week January, 2021.

Maharashtra govt may allow general public to travel in local trains during non-peak hours
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It has come to light that Mumbaikars may have to wait a little longer before the local trains are opened for all despite a steady drop in the COVID-19 cases. However, there is a piece of good news as the state government is considering to allow all commuters to travel via local trains during non-peak hours.

The idea is under consideration where the general public may be allowed to use local trains between 10 pm and 7 am in the coming days.

The officials said that the biggest obstacle in resuming the local trains for all is the lack of a crowd management system at stations, which makes social distancing very difficult.

Another official said even with current restrictions, trains are running packed, and with the current dip in temperatures, there is a fear that spread of infections may be hastened.

Currently, those working in essential and emergency sectors are allowed to travel via local trains. The government has also given a go-ahead to cancer patients and differently-abled persons to travel on local trains through the day. From the third week of October, women commuters have been allowed to travel in specified hours.

Last month, state minister Vijay Wadettiwar had announced that the Chief Minister is positive about opening up trains for all. He also claimed that the train services might resume for the general public from the first week of January 2021 after reviewing the COVID situation in the city.

The state government is also unlikely to extend the night curfew imposed till January 5, after a new strain of the coronavirus was found in the United Kingdom in the third week of December.

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