PMC begins offline process to facilitate local train travel

PUNE: The Pune Municipal corporation (PMC) has initiated the process to set up a help desk at Pune and Shivaji Nagar railway stations to issue passes for travel by local trains in the Pune region, for those who have taken both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine

PUNE: The Pune Municipal corporation (PMC) has initiated the process to set up a help desk at Pune and Shivaji Nagar railway stations to issue passes for travel by local trains in the Pune region, for those who have taken both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. It is an offline process that it will begin at railway stations from Wednesday, said officials.

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The move came on Tuesday when Pune District Collector Rajesh Deshmukh issued formal order allowing local trains for common citizens with double vaccination.

Ravindra Binwade, additional municipal commissioner of the PMC, has issued an order and deputed two nodal officers – assistant municipal commissioner of the Dhole Patil road ward office, Dyndev Supe, at the Pune station; and assistant municipal commissioner of the Shivajinagar-Ghole road ward office, Rajendra Rengade, at the Shivajinagar station – as well as 16 primary teachers at the help desks for verification and issuing of passes to railway commuters. The help desks will be operational on all seven days of the week in two shifts namely, 7am to 1pm and 1pm to 7pm.

The PMC on Tuesday rolled out standard operating procedures (SOPs) on how the offline system will operate.

As per the SOPs, fully vaccinated commuters who have completed 14 days after the second dose and wish to avail a monthly pass can approach the help desks and show their vaccination certificates along with a government-issued photo id (preferably Aadhaar card). They also need to carry a photocopy of their photo id for stamping purposes. The staffers at the help desks will verify the authenticity of the vaccination certificates by scanning their QR codes and accordingly stamp “universal travel pass” on the certificates and photocopies of the photo id’s. Commuters can then use the same to procure monthly passes at the ticket counters. Commuters are required to carry all three – their ticket, vaccination certificate and id card – while travelling.

Sunil Indulkar, deputy municipal commissioner, said, “As per state government SOPs, we will verify and approve vaccination certificates and photo id’s of commuters. We have spoken to the railway administration about the space for desks and other necessary facilities. We are providing training to primary teachers.”

Rajendra Rengade, assistant muncipal commissioner of the Shivajinagar-Ghole road ward office said, “We are providing training to the staff on how to issue certificates to railway commuters as per the state government order. The offline system will be operational Wednesday onwards.”

Indulkar said, “The PMC has also deployed two nodal officers at the two railway stations. Although passengers will get certificates online, they will have to take approval from PMC officials. Without the PMC stamp of approval, the railway administration will not issue tickets or monthly passes.”

Manoj Jhawar, public relations’ officer (PRO), central railway - Pune division, said, “We will provide all the necessary facilities to the PMC staff help desk for issuing certificates of approval to railway commuters. We will also provide them with security to control crowding for passes. We will not allow passengers to travel in local trains without PMC certification.”

Presently, the central railway’s Pune division is operating eight up and down local trains from Pune to Lonavala with around 4,000 commuters travelling daily, at least 50% of which are monthly pass holders.

Jhawar said, “At present, there are eight up and down local trains from Pune to Lonavala and all these trains are operating for emergency services. In normal circumstances, there are 42 up and down local trains from Pune to Lonavala and around 70,000 to 80,000 commuters travelling daily on this route.”

Earlier, the chief minister had announced that eligible citizens who have taken both doses against Covid-19 and completed 14 days after the second dose will be able to travel by local trains from August 15. Travel will be facilitated both online and offline however the process of creating a mobile application (app) and starting the online process may take a little more time which is why the offline process will begin from Wednesday, PMC officials said.