The Maharashtra government has informed the Bombay High court that it will soon take a decision on allowing general public to travel by local trains. The state government is likely to take the decision next week. The state authorities is discussing on accomodating general public, besides those involved in essential services to use the local train services in order to manage the crowd better amidst the pandemic.
Meanwhile, earlier the Maharashtra government had said that it is mulling to allow local train services for all passengers during staggered hours. "Local can be permitted for morning hours till 7 am and after 10 pm in night.
According to reports, the state government was responding to a division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Girish S Kulkarni, who were hearing public interest litigations (PILs) filed by the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa (BCMG), and other lawyers.
With the number of Covid-19 cases in Mumbai coming down, the Maharashtra government is planning to allow local train for all passengers. Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said, state government is keeping a close watch on the situation and if cases do not increase, soon a decision will be taken on resumption of local train services for all.Currently, only essential workers and those approved by the government are allowed to travel on locals. Women too have permission, but only during non-peak hours.