Mumbai Local Trains will not resume for the public until COVID-19 pandemic ends: Vijay Wadettiwar

The spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection has reduced in the city of Mumbai and several activities have resumed as per the directives issued by the government. COVID-19 cases have also decreased significantly and people across the city are now waiting for the Mumbai local trains services to resume for the general public. Citizens who depend on the trains for their daily commute and facing difficulties as they are not allowed to travel by local yet, and hence, they have to unwillingly spend a good sum of money to travel by other modes of transport. 

Questions have been raised with regards to the local train services and addressing the same, State Minister for Relief and Rehabilitation, Vijay Wadettiwar, during a media interaction, clarified that the Mumbai local train services will not resume for the public until the COVID-19 pandemic ends. He further stated that the public started wandering freely after the first wave, and that led to an increase in COVID-19 cases. If the local train resumes for the general public, there is a possibility of crowding which could worsen the situation currently, and hence, the local trains cannot resume until the pandemic is over.

Meanwhile, Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal had also expressed that the local train services will not resume immediately. Based on the discussions, he said that the same might resume in multiple phases, first for women or for certain employees. However, despite the reducing number of patients in Mumbai, it is clear that the citizens will have to wait to travel again by the local train as the city will continue to observe the level-3 restrictions.

Meanwhile, restrictions were not eased further in Mumbai despite a drop in overall cases. As per the state government's norms, Mumbai is now included under level-1, however, as a precautionary measure, experts have predicted the possibility of a third wave. Keeping the same in mind, Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal has decided to continue with the current level-3 restrictions.

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Earlier this month, the state government had drafted a plan to ease the lockdown restrictions which were imposed for the last two months where the rate of COVID-19 cases was more than five per cent in the city. However, within two weeks, the status has changed and the city has seen a significant decrease in the cases.