According to the latest reports, the Minister of State Vijay Wadettiwar on Thursday, April 8, hinted that local train services might be discontinued for the general public.
This statement comes amid an alarming rise in coronavirus cases in the state as well as Mumbai.
According to sources, the state government is considering implementing restrictions on Mumbai suburban train travel once again. Besides, it also mulling whether to shut down local trains entirely.
The state government had earlier decided to resume local train services as people were losing out on their jobs. Now that the services have resumed, the trains are very crowded and the case have started increasing to some extent. The state government is deciding whether locals should be shut down completely or the restrictions imposed on local service should be reinstated as in the past, said Vijay Wadettiwar.
Sources said that even those not involved in providing non-essential services board trains during peak hours, resulting in crowding.
After being suspended for almost ten months since the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdown last year, the local train services in Mumbai resumed for the public from February 1, 2021.
Since February 1, only those involved in providing essential services are allowed to board trains from 7 am to 12 pm and from 4 pm to 9 pm. Meanwhile, in the remaining hours, that is non peak hours from 12 pm to 4 pm, all commuters are allowed. The surge in cases had begun from mid-February.
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