With several passengers travelling in Mumbai locals without a ticket or with fake identification, the Railways has taken action against 14,000 such people flouting the rules amidst the pandemic.
From January 1 to January 8, the Central Railways has arrested 14,000 passengers in an operation to ensure that only women and people engaged in essential services are commuting. On Friday, 54 people were arrested for carrying fake ID cards. According to sources, these identity cards have been confiscated. At present, the security has reportedly been beefed up near the entrance of the Central Railway Station and many people are being allowed to enter without any hindrance.
So far, more than 500 fake identity cardholders have been nabbed on the Central Railway. This includes medical staff, Mumbai Municipal Corporation employees, Maharashtra Security Force employees and other categories of identity cards.
Currently, only certain categories of commuters, including those providing essential services, and women, can travel by local trains in the Mumbai region after obtaining a special pass due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. The local trains, with the COVID-19 pandemic protocols, were opened gradually for essential services employees and later more categories of travellers were added, but full-scale operations still remain suspended.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government has alerted the Bombay High Court that it is likely to take a decision on whether to permit all persons to board the suburban local trains next week. As a result, the Railway Passengers Federation has decided to suspend the railway agitation immediately. On the other hand, the state government indicated that high-level deliberations are on as to how common persons, besides those involved in essential services, can be accommodated to use the suburban railway system in order to manage the crowd better in view of COVID-19.
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