Days after the Maharashtra government announced relaxations across the state, which excluded allowing the general public to travel by local, Union Minister of State for Railways Raosaheb Danve has made an important statement on resuming train services.
On Thursday, August 5, Raosaheb Danve said that local train services will be made available for common people in Mumbai once again if the state government submits a proposal to that effect.
"The Ministry of Railways will approve the proposal of allowing common people to travel by local trains in Mumbai. However, we have not received any such communication from the state government so far. The railway administration is not against commencing local train services for common people," Danve was quoted by PTI.
This statement comes at a time when the passengers’ associations have been urging to resume the local trains for the general public commuting to work daily.
Moreover, the BJP and other political parties have also been mounting pressure on the government to allow at least the fully vaccinated passengers to travel by suburban trains.
On Monday evening, August 3, the Uddhav Thackeray-led government announced further relaxations of coronavirus curbs in 25 districts showing a low positivity rate of the infection. However, no decision has been taken on allowing common people to travel by suburban trains.
While announcing the curbs, CM Thackeray had clarified that permitting all segments of the society in Mumbai local trains would be difficult in the first phase. Amid the fear of the possible third wave and the spread of delta plus variant, the easing of curbs is being done slowly.
Due to the second wave of coronavirus, the suburban train services were suspended for the general public in April this year. Since then, only government employees and those working in essential services are allowed to travel in local trains.
Share
Tweet
