Mumbai's lifeline set to resume service for public

A Draft Correspondent | Mumbai

Mumbai's lifeline is set to start...once again. By 1 February 2021, local trains are expected to resume for general public in Mumbai, for the first time since the national lockdown from March 2020. The move, albeit a wee controlled by way of restricting general public movement to time limits, is expected to bring back the much-awaited normalcy in India's financial capital.

BUSINESS AS USUAL: The train service is set to resume and bring normalcy to life in Mumbai (File Picture)

In a notification issued by the Chief Secretary of the Disaster Management, Relief and Rehabilitation Department, Government of Maharashtra, starting 1 February 2021 the local train services in Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) will be allowed for all categories of the public with a few restrictions.

Local train services will be allowed for all members of the public from the start of the train services for the day till 7 am in the morning, then from 12 pm till 4 pm in the afternoon and later from 9 pm in the night till the closure of the train services for that day.

For essential services workers and staff, local train services will be permitted exclusively from 7 am in the morning till 12 pm in the day and later from 4 pm in the evening till 9 pm in the night.

The Maharashtra government is expected to issue directions for the timings of commercial entities. Shops may be allowed to operate till 11 pm in the night and restaurants till 1 am. However, only 30 per cent of the workforce will be allowed to work and shops and restaurants will be allowed to operate as per the previous guidelines and SOPs issued by the respective state departments, for the daily operations of these establishments.

The shops and establishments may be expected to stagger the work schedule of their staff. An official communication to be generated in this regard can be expected soon.

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