Mumbai local trains resume services for essential railway employees after 2-month hiatus

Two months after it suspended services due to Coronavirus lockdown, Mumbai local trains on Saturday resumed services for essential railway employees. As per circular by Railways, se trains — CSMT-Panvel, CSMT-Karjat, and CSMT-Kasara — are making a total of eight trips every day. Meanwhile, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) also resumed intra-district bus operations from Saturday. Bus drivers have been told to run buses at 50 percent occupancy to meet social distancing rms.

Earlier on May 13, in an interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray  requested to start Mumbai suburban railway services for use of those working in essential services.

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Railways resume services

This comes a day after  Railway Ministry said that Indian Railways will be opening its reservation counters for booking of reserved tickets in a phased manner from May 22. Indian Railways has also allowed booking of reservation tickets through common service centres and ticketing nts from May 22.

"Zonal Railways have been instructed to decide and tify opening of reservation counters as per local needs and conditions. se reservation counters will open from May 22 in a phased manner, along with dissemination of information about ir respective locations and timings as per local needs and conditions," read an official statement issued by Ministry on Friday. statement also stated that Shramik Special trains will continue to be handled by local State governments as per existing protocols. 

Mumbai Covid tally

Mumbai on Friday recorded its highest one-day increase in number of coronavirus patients at 1,751, which took city's tally of cases to 27,068, said Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Furr, with 27 new deaths, toll due to pandemic in country's financial capital reached 909 on Friday, BMC said. 329 COVID-19 patients were discharged from city hospitals during day, taking number of recovered patients to 7,080.

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BMC said that out of 27 patients who died due to COVID-19 infection, 22 had various co-morbidities. 276 of new 1,751 COVID-19 patients had tested positive at various labs on May 17, it added. civic body set up `1916' dedicated helpline for coronavirus on April 24. To date, 69,407 calls have been received on this helpline, which is manned by 48 staff in three shifts along with a team of 3-4 doctors, it said.

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