Local trains open to fully vaccinated from Aug 15

Mumbaiites can board trains only after 14 days from second dose, CM announces; decision on relaxations for malls, eateries expected today

MUMBAI: After tremendous pressure from various quarters, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday announced that people fully vaccinated against Covid-19 are allowed to commute in local trains in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) from August 15, but only after 14 days from the second dose. A decision over relaxations for mall, restaurants and religious places will be taken on Monday.

Thackeray addressed the state via social media on Sunday evening and spoke about the relaxations, the threat of the third wave that looms large and the need to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour.

People who have got both their vaccine doses will, after 14 days from the second jab, be allowed to travel in local trains by getting themselves registered on a mobile application being prepared by authorities. The registration facility will also be available offline at the offices of the civic bodies and railway offices. In Mumbai, 1.9 million fully vaccinated people will be eligible after completing the two-week period.

The fully vaccinated people will be given a pass through a mobile application after providing a vaccination certificate. On production of the pass enabled with the QR code, commuters will be allowed to travel in local trains. The general public was banned from travelling in trains in the first week of April after the second wave struck. The commuting was started for all from February 1 after shutting it down in March last year. Only a few categories of emergency and essential services workers were allowed during the lockdown.

“The second wave of Covid-19 has not fully subsided. The threat of the third wave is still looming large. I know that people are running out of patience due to the lockdown curbs, but we should not lower our guard as the Covid-19 crisis is not over yet. We are ensuring to strike a balance between keeping the spread of the virus in check and opening up financial activities, so that the economy does not get affected,” he said.

Thackeray said that the decision over allowing malls, religious places to open and the hotels to have more working hours will be taken on Monday.