Maharashtra has extended its lockdown restrictions till 28 February and also announced the reopening of local trains for general public.

Soon after his review meeting on resumption of suburban train services on Friday, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray took the decision to open Mumbai suburban railways for all during designated hours following Covid-19 norms.     

“Activities already allowed and permitted from time to time shall be continued and all earlier orders shall be aligned with this order and shall remain in force up to 28 February,” said the government statement ordering strict implementation of existing guidelines by all departments of the state government.

Chief secretary Sanjay Kumar in a written communication to chief general managers of central railway, CSMT, Mumbai and western railway, Churchgate, Mumbai, requested that general public be allowed to board local trains during designated hours.  

“Local train services be allowed from the start of services for the day to 7 am and then again from 12 pm to 4 pm in the afternoon and from 9 pm to closure of local train services for the day with effect from 1st February 2021,” the letter said.

The government has continued its restrictions and reserved peak hours for essential services staff between 7 am to 12 pm and 4 pm to 9 pm.

Continuing the 30% limit for staff and directing all establishments to stagger their work hours the government has allowed shops to remain open till 11 pm and restaurants to operate till 1 am as per SOPs issued for daily operations by all concerned departments of the state.

The suburban railways systems operated by WR and CR stretches 319 km inter-district travel in five districts, i.e., Mumbai, Mumbai Suburban, Thane, Palghar and Raigad. Approximately 80 lakh commuters travelled daily on local trains in Mumbai before the pandemic induced lockdown in late March 2020. Fifteen suburban trains were partially resumed from June 15 onwards for essential service providers holding a special pass. Presently essential services providers, state and central government staff, employees of nationalised and private banks, PSUs and pharma companies, lawyers and women commuters during designated hours are allowed to board trains. With large no. of population working from home and continuing restrictions around 20 lakh people use these services at present.