‘Will approach Prez, PM to get nod for travel on Mumbai’s local trains’

The Maharashtra government has decided to continue denying permission to the general public to travel by local trains

Local train passengers on Monday stated that the citizens will suffer even more and it will soon become impossible to survive as the Maharashtra government has decided to continue denying permission to the general public to travel by local trains. Passengers associations’ have said that the Maharashtra government has left them with no choice but to approach the President and Prime Minister Narendra Modi (PM) to intervene in the issue so that local train services are resumed for all citizens.

Local train passengers on Monday stated that the citizens will suffer even more and it will soon become impossible to survive as the ban on general public to travel by local trains continues. (HT File)

“I reside in Dombivli which is on the Central Railway network. My workplace is at Mahim on Western line. I am a senior citizen and the lockdown has crippled me. Can’t essential services staffers and government employees, who are allowed to commute by suburban trains anytime, transmit coronavirus? Is there any logic? Are only they free from pandemic or non-transmissions and are rest of the classes transmitters. The lockdown should be eased step-by-step, specifically to commute by local trains at stipulated timings, as was allowed earlier in order to have so that our lives are brought to motion and not left to die by starvation,” said Dombivli resident CK Balasubramanian.

“We have been constantly requesting them [the state government] humbly to resume local train services for the general public. They have not paid any heed to this. In the coming days, this decision will be disastrous. We have no option left and will be approaching PM, asking him to help,” said Subhash Gupta, president of passengers’ body Rail Yatri Parishad.

Associations also cited that as fully vaccinated passengers can travel by air, they should also be allowed to travel on local trains.

“Airlines have started operating, and fully vaccinated passengers can travel without coronavirus-negative certificates. Then why can’t vaccinated citizens commute by local trains. Every day, the situation is getting grim with no respite from the state government. We will urge the President and PM to speak to the Maharashtra government,” said Lata Argade, secretary, Suburban Railway Passenger Association.