As the Maharashtra government has not allowed the general public to travel in the Mumbai local trains looking at the coronavirus crisis and fear of the possible third wave, now the commuters of the Mumbai suburban section have urged the state government to allow travel of those vaccinated.
As per passengers, due to the closure of the local, there has been a huge increase in the monthly financial expenses of the citizens. Moreover, as petrol and diesel prices continue to rise, so does the economic woes.
Therefore, the Railway Passengers’ Association of Mumbai, held a peaceful protest between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Mantralaya on Friday, July 9, demanding that vaccinated passengers should be allowed to travel locally.
Associations have also stated that if no respite is given to passengers, they would ask citizens to not vote in the upcoming BMC elections.
The railway passenger associations claim that people working in private offices, as well as labourers working in the manufacturing sector, do not have access to local trains. Many of these people reside far off, like Kalyan, Karjat, Kasara, Vasai, Virar and Dahanu.
Passenger associations have also demanded that women be allowed to commute in local trains.
Currently, the local train services are operational only for people working in essential services and citizens travelling for vaccination or hospital. Interestingly, three million passengers are travelling by local trains on both the Central and Western Railway despite restrictions.
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