As Mumbai locals resume on Feb 1, Piyush Goyal urges commuters to follow Covid guidelines

As local trains in Mumbai gear up to resume services for all passengers in the city for the first time since lockdown, Union Railways Minister Piyush Goyal appealed to the people to strictly follow the timing restrictions and Covid-19 protocol while commuting.

"My dear Mumbaikars, for your convenience, the Mumbai local train services are resuming from February 1. All passengers can travel in the locals from the first train in the morning till 7 am, from noon to 4 pm and from 9 pm to the last train of the day," the Minister said in a tweet. 

To avoid crowding, peak hours between 7 am to 12 noon and 4 pm to 9 pm will remain restricted to those engaged in essential services and not for the general public. The time restriction is such that it will not increase the footfall at the stations. 

"I urge all of you to follow all necessary guidelines related to coronavirus during the journey. If you remain safe, your co-passengers will also remain safe," Goyal said.

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Mumbai locals resume for general public 

Since the commencement of the nationwide coronavirus-induced lockdown on March 25, 2020, the Mumbai Suburban Railway has been restricted for general passengers. Noting that lakhs of passengers travel by Mumbai locals every day, the Maharashtra government took time to reopen its services, avoiding a surge in positive cases.

READ | Time Table: Mumbai Local Trains Open For All From Feb 1; Peak Hours Only For Essentials

In October last year, the state government proposed to allow the general public to board the local trains at stipulated timings during non-peak hours. However, the plan was put on hold as COVID-19 cases witnessed a rise in some places after the festivals. Currently, only some categories of commuters, like women and those providing essential services, can travel by local trains in Mumbai after obtaining a special pass, in view of the pandemic. 

READ | Mumbai Sees 394 New COVID-19 Cases & 7 Deaths; City's Case Positivity Rate At 11.14%

READ | Lockdown Restrictions In Maharashtra Extended Till Feb 28