Your Space: Pune local trains not lifeline of the city

The authorities in Pune resumed local train services for fully-vaccinated commuters recently. Readers share possible reasons for delay?

While the Mumbai administration resumed local train services for fully-vaccinated commuters from August 15, the authorities in Pune, which has lesser population density as compared to the state’s capital, restarted the facility two days later. Readers share possible reasons for delay?

As part of the Covid curbs, only passengers on essential service duty were allowed to board Lonavla-Pune local trains as seen at Chinchwad station, on August 10, 2021. (HT PHOTO)

Many beneficiaries waiting for second vaccination dose

The local train is lifeline of Mumbai and without it Mumbaikar cannot imagine completing their day of work unlike Pune where most people depend on their personal vehicle and public transport buses for commuting. The mandatory fully vaccinated criterion for train passengers will not have many takers as I think around 70 per cent beneficiaries are yet to get the second jab, due to shortage of doses and long waiting period between two doses.

Amol Patil

Local train commuters are few

For Pune, local trains is not as important an aspect of everyday life like Mumbai. Even though the locals have started in Pune, it only helps small group of people and half of them still are doing work from home so it’s okay if the government has started locals two days late.

Ratnakar Detke

Pune admn wants to assess situations

Better late than never. I feel at least people will enjoy the train journey to Lonavla, although many tourist spots are closed under Covid lockdown restrictions. Many people prefer local journeys between Pune and Lonavla as it is economical. The two-day’s delay to reopen the local trains in Pune as against Mumbai may be because the administration wants to assess various situations.

Sanjay Jadhav

Authorities may have been in two minds

The past experiences of Covid violations during curb relaxations must have left the authorities in two minds. They may want to see how it progresses in Mumbai before restarting at other places. But due to pressure from common people, the government may have resumed the local train facility in Pune in two days after restarting it in Mumbai.

Arpita Marne

Pune locals not as profitable as Mumbai

Local trains in Pune do not generate revenue like Mumbai locals. So, the government was not much concerned about restarting it early. It could have been delayed by more than two days, if people had not requested the administration.

Santosh Khivsara

Local train fare is economical

Two days’ delay could be only because of the extra cautious approach of Pune district administration. They are worried about Covid spread, but are not looking at how people from lower middle class are suffering due to closure of local trains. The Rs20 fare local train journey was costing ₹100/Rs200 daily for regular passengers because of non-service of trains. The district administration should resume local trains with Covid preventive measures in place.

Vaibhav Gaikwad

Banking on “Mumbai model”

I believe the authorities in Pune still feel that they are answerable to the Mumbai administration, it being the capital of the state. God forbid even if a minor calamity befalls in Mumbai, like a slight surge in Covid cases, the local train services will be the first to be blamed. This delay seems to be a poorly thought cover-up so that under similar circumstances in Pune, the local train administration can blame the Mumbai authorities for restarting the train services first. Basically, going by the “We just followed what they are doing” scenario.

Shagufta Khan

Pune admn just emulated Mumbai

Punekars do not usually travel in locals as much as Mumbaikars. Most of the people in the main city either travel via buses, cabs, autos or have their own vehicles. It seems as if the Pune administration was not thinking about restarting the local service yet. However, when they saw the Mumbai administration do it, they may have decided to just emulate the decision without a lot of contemplation. Hence, the two-day delay.

Anisha Puranik

Passengers should follow Covid precautions

Since the population density in Mumbai is more than Pune, it means there are far more people that need to get to work than our city, and maybe that’s why they resumed the services two days before Pune did. We will be getting back to the new normal anyway so ideally a difference of two days doesn’t have the potential to cause a big change in number of cases and the spread of the virus. And since the commuters are vaccinated there’s a very low chance that they’ll be infected. As long as all guidelines are followed by the civilians of both cities it’s all good.

Priyanka Fulzele

Districts follow instructions of state government

Pune had reopened malls and other markets two days earlier than Mumbai. Hence, the district administration can take their own decisions. However, regarding reopening of train and state transport facilities, the okay of the state government may be needed. They are issuing the government resolution (GR) and districts are taking the decisions accordingly. So, it may be the reason for delay of resumption of local train service in Pune.

Rahul Upadhye

Implementation of Covid checks may have caused delay

Pune has less local train travellers as compared to Mumbai. The state government has issued new guidelines for local train transportation. Administration has allowed only people who have been vaccinated with both doses. They have to issue identity cards to passengers who have taken both doses. Also, 14 days should be completed after the second dose only then the railways will issue monthly tickets to such passengers. This all process will take extra manpower, extra budget and more time to implement. May be because of all this they have delayed to start local trains which were stopped since last year.

Satyajeet Nikam