As Mumbai is witnessing a rise in daily COVID-19 cases, passenger associations across the city have asked the Railways and local authorities to resume thermal screening of passengers at railway stations, particularly in stations that act as entry points for trains arriving from other states.
Commuter bodies say that this would be a more feasible move rather than imposing a lockdown or other strict restrictions if the cases spiral out of control.
Subhash Gupta, Yatri Sangh Mumbai leader and member of the National Railway Users Consultative Committee said, “Now is the right time to conduct checks at entry points of stations. Just a drive to ensure people are wearing masks is not enough. Instead of enforcing restrictions on train services at a later time, it will be better to be careful now.”
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“Thermal checks used to happen at stations but the local authorities stopped them due to some reason. They should be restarted at least at those stations where outstation trains arrive,” he further said.
A few states have started screening travellers while there are a few restrictions in place for passengers arriving from Maharashtra. In a note sent out recently, the Railways advised people to check the health advisories issued by the state they’re travelling to.
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According to railway officials, civic workers normally screen passengers at certain points outside the stations and that this practice has been resumed in some places.
Officials also said that they have trained their staff including ticket checkers to perform thermal screening in case of an emergency situation. Additionally, marshals have reportedly been deployed within station premises to ensure proper mask-wearing by the commuters.
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