The Maharashtra government on Friday decided to open local trains for the general public from Monday (February 1). The trains were suspended in March last year in view of the coronavirus pandemic and gradually resumed from June 2020. The decision was taken in Uddhav Thackeray’s review meeting on the issue of resumption of local trains for the general public which is also considered as the lifeline for lakhs of commuters.

An order issued by the Maharashtra government said the local trains will be open for the public from the morning’s first service till 7 am, from noon to 4 pm and from 9 pm to the last train of the day. For the remaining time, the local train services will be open only to those in essential services such as frontline workers, healthcare staff and others.

Keeping Covid-19 guidelines in mind, as of now, only a section of commuters including women can travel by local trains in the Mumbai region with a special pass. After a request from the Maharashtra government to the Railways Minister in October last year, women were allowed to travel during non-peak hours from 11 am to 3 pm, and from 7 pm till the end of the day’s services. Children, however, were not allowed to do so.

Authorities have also appealed to travellers to follow the standard operating procedures and stick to the Covid-19 norms while travelling in the local trains. They also clarified that only passengers permitted by the Ministry of Railways and the Maharashtra government could travel in the suburban trains. Others are requested not to rush to the railway stations, the release said.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government on Friday announced extension of lockdown restrictions in the state till February 28. “The state is threatened with the spread of Covid-19 virus and the government feels the need to take emergency measures, a circular issued by the state government said.

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Maharashtra is the worst-affected state, saw its active caseload fall to around 44,000. The state has recorded over 20 lakh cases and 11,326 deaths since the pandemic began in December 2019. 

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