In what has come as a blow to lawyers in Mumbai, the Bombay High Court has said in an order that allowing lawyers to travel by local trains “would not be advisable”. The court said this is to avoid the state from being unnecessarily burdened if the numbers rise. The court was hearing a petition filed by the lawyers’ association requesting permission to travel by suburban local trains.
“Allowing the courts to function normally, as in the pre-pandemic days, still appears to be at some distance,” the HC bench comprising of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Girish Kulkarni said in its order.
Also read - Lawyers Association Demands Permission To Travel In The Local Train
“Opening up the doors of the suburban trains for all the lawyers and their registered clerks to attend courts in the MMR would also not be advisable, lest the numbers rise and the state is unnecessarily burdened with more cases requiring provisions for additional health and medi-care services,” the order said.
Though citizens may not see their travel privileges restored anytime soon, the court has directed the state to identify employees that belong to other sectors who can gradually start travelling via local trains.
Also Read - Mumbai Local: Bombay HC Directs Center And The State Government To Respond To PIL Filed For Lawyers
The court said that since the process could take time, the state needs to start the process of identifying such individuals immediately. Currently, local trains can only be used by pre-identified essential workers, as well as state and central government employees. QR code passes are mandatory for such passengers to travel on suburban local trains in Mumbai.
This has caused a lot of inconvenience to office goers who are heavily reliant on the city’s local trains for their daily commute. Though buses are plying on the street, the constant traffic congestion means that they’re rarely on time, leading to an endless cycle of frustration for the commuters.
Also read - Private Buses In The State Can Be Operational At 100 Per Cent Capacity
Share
Tweet
