As per the fresh restrictions announced on Wednesday by the Maharashtra government, the general public cannot travel by Mumbai local trains from Friday.
Both the railways on Thursday issued internal circulars directing only essential workers be allowed to use Mumbai local trains. The restrictions will be implemented from 8 pm on April 22 till 7 am on May 1.
While Central Railway officials said tickets for local trains will be issued only through counters, ticketing through Jansadharan Ticket Booking Seva (JTBS) (outside ticket vendors), ticket vending machines and the mobile app will be disabled until further notice.
The Central Railway also said they will be curtailing suburban local train services from the existing 1,686 to 1,392 services and they will run as per Sunday timetable. All AC local trains will also remain cancelled. Western Railway officials said that there was no curtailment in any services of local trains on WR Mumbai.
As per the internal letter of Western Railway, the list of indicative essential services staff permitted included all government personnel (State/Central/local) on the production of a government-issued identity card. Besides, all railway staffs, including staffs of all railways public sector undertakings (MRVC, IRCTC, etc.) and all who have been issued authority to travel in workmen special train are permitted.
All staff of Mantralaya, including Collector’s office, staff of all municipal corporations (MCGM, MBMC, VVMC, TMC, KDMC, NMMC, Palghar Municipal Corporation), including municipal school teachers & contractual staff engaged by municipal corporations, Maharashtra police, including Mumbai police and GRP can also take the local trains. Other than that, employees of the BEST, MSRTC, MBMT, VVMT, NMMT, TMT, KDMT, all employees of Central government & employees of Central government PSUs are exempted.
Next, defence personnel, employees of Income Tax, GST, Customs, Department Of Post, Mumbai Port Trust, Judiciary and Raj Bhavan are exempted as well. All medical personnel (Doctors/paramedics/Lab technicians/ Hospital and Medical clinic staff etc.) can travel via local trains on the production of identity card issued by the concerned medical organization.
In addition to this, all government/private hospital staff, including all path/lab testing/pharma staff, any person(s) needing medical treatment or differently-abled persons and one person accompanying the needy are allowed. Lastly, Outstation trains passengers remain exempted from the fresh restrictions.
Surjitt Sahani
