- All commuters carrying a valid and confirmed long-distance railway ticket can travel in Mumbai locals
- Mumbai locals are presently shouldering about 45% of its total passenger-load of the pre-covid era
- These trains have been ferrying essential workers, government employees, lawyers and women
THoD Newsdesk, Mumbai: On Thursday, the Ministry of Railways announced that all commuters carrying a valid and confirmed long-distance railway ticket can travel in Mumbai locals. This relaxation has been allowed to the travellers, on the basis of a proposal which was drafted pertaining to the same topic on December 15 by the Maharashtra government. Passengers can now travel to their boarding station, anywhere in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, via the suburban local train network.
According to the official press release issued by the Western and Central Railway, travellers who have a confirmed ticket for any outstation train, will be granted access to buy a non-return local train ticket. This permission has further been extended to 6 hours prior and after the time of the journey, for the ease of the travellers. As yet, the government has allowed only select sections of the population to board the Mumbai Locals, which have yet again resumed their services in a graded manner, July onwards.
These trains have been ferrying essential workers, government employees, lawyers and women but children have been restricted from them. Mumbai locals are presently shouldering about 45% of its total passenger-load of the pre-covid era and further, entry into the stations is allowed only after showcasing valid identity cards. The government has even come up with a QR code reader at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and at 14 suburban railway stations in Mumbai to stringently monitor the implemented rule.
