Local trains for all: Maharashtra minister says govt positive about rescheduling timings

While this has led to a multi-fold rise in commuters on three lines, the commuters have complained about timings being inconvenient

Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope on Tuesday said his department has already requested chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to reschedule local train timings to allow the general public to travel during peak hours. He said the government seemed positive about making changes to the timings for the convenience of people.

(Bhushan Koyande/HT)

After the Maharashtra government, from February 1, allowed all to travel in suburban trains during non-peak hours, the commuters have been demanding rescheduling of travelling hours. At present, commuters in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) can travel in the following time slots: from the first train service to 7am; between 12pm and 4pm; and from 9pm to the last service of the day.

While this has led to a multi-fold rise in commuters on three lines, the commuters have complained about timings being inconvenient. “Our department has already written to the CM, who takes a final call on timings of the trains. We will discuss this issue again in the state cabinet meeting scheduled to be held on Wednesday. The government is positive about rescheduling travel timings,” Tope said.

The minister also said the state will think of staggering working hours of its offices. “The staggering of working hours is the need of the hour in the interest of the public. We have already appealed to private organisations to go for staggered working hours. We at the state , too, will try to implement it for public offices. It will be more convenient for people in the MMR,” he said.