Local trains in Mumbai will not be opened for women, general public yet: BMC

While several restrictions in Mumbai and most cities in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) are set to be relaxed by the Maharashtra government from Monday, the wait for the general public to resume travel to the workplace by suburban trains will be longer

While several restrictions in Mumbai and most cities in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) are set to be relaxed by the Maharashtra government from Monday, the wait for the general public to resume travel to the workplace by suburban trains will be longer. Only the frontline staff and those working in the essential sectors would be allowed to travel by local trains. Though the state government has allowed all women commuter to travel by trains, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has ruled it out.

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Local train services for the general public were suspended for the second time on April 15 in a bid to control the spread of coronavirus in the city.

The Maharashtra government in its unlock order under BreakTheChain on Saturday early morning had stated that essential service employees, people travelling for medical purposes and women commuters could be allowed to travel by the local trains. Mumbai that comes under level three of the unlock order, could permit women commuters along with essential care workers to travel.

However, the state government then clarified the decision on allowing women commuters to travel by local trains would be taken by the BMC, which is the local authority to handle the pandemic.

Further, the BMC’s decision on local trains would apply to the entire MMR, the government said. Though Mumbai suburban train network is spread across the MMR, the majority of it falls in Mumbai city.

“In case of travel by local trains, respective DMAs (Disaster Management Authority) has been given authority to impose further restrictions on the travel for level 1,2 and 3. It is specifically directed that any further restrictions that might be imposed by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai under these rules on the travel by local trains, will hold for the entire MMR region. It is also informed that if any other DMA wishes to impose any different restrictions on travel by local trains in the MMR region, they must do so in consultation with MCGM. This is to ensure that these restrictions can be imposed smoothly throughout the journey that may be taken by passengers,’’ said a clarification issued by Aseem Gupta, principal secretary, disaster management, relief and rehabilitation department.

The BMC, however, on Saturday evening issued a notification stating women commuters will not be allowed to travel by local trains and employees working in essential care services, people travelling for medical purposes will only be allowed to commute.

Passenger associations have objected to not permitting women commuters. “This is an extremely wrong step by the BMC. If offices and shops are opening up then they should allow passengers to commute by local trains. Women commuters should have been allowed to travel first and then other passengers in restricted timings. BMC should look into this immediately or else citizens will again have to travel three to four hours to reach their destination.” said Subhash Gupta, president, Rail Yatri Parishad.

Meanwhile, Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport(BEST) will not be allowing passengers to travel on full seating capacity in the BEST buses from Monday. No standing passenger will be allowed to commute.