Local trains, the lifeline of Mumbai, will remain non-operational till May 3. The nationwide lockdown has been extended till May 3 and just an hour after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation to announce the same, the rail ministry announced that the train services will remain canceled till that time period.
“It has been decided that the cancellation of all passenger train services on Indian railways, that is express, passenger trains; suburban trains and trains of metro railway, Kolkata shall be extended till 3rd May 2020,” mentions the circular.
The circular also states that the train services might resume only after evaluating the COVID-19 situation in the country.
“Resumption of train services as may be warranted in consideration of public safety, keeping in view the emergent situation, shall be announced in due course,” the circular added.
Voicing their approval, passenger associations have called the extension of cancellation, the need of the hour. “Earlier when local train services were operating for essential workers, but people misused it. Social distancing is very crucial right now and local trains can become easy carriers of the virus. The government should focus on providing better road transport during the lockdown,” Subhash Gupta, president, Rail Yatri Parishad told HT.
The COVID-19 pandemic has done the impossible by effecting the suspension of local train services for a total of 42 days. The only other time, Mumbai locals were brought to a halt, was during the floods of July 26, 2005, as the services were suspended for 72 hours. Even after the 26/11 terror attacks, the local train operations were delayed, but train services did not stop. The train services were even operational during the 1992 Mumbai riots.
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