Close to 2.3mn passengers board local trains on Day One of restart

MUMBAI: Nearly 2.3 million passengers travelled on Mumbai’s lifeline — its suburban train network — on the Central and Western Railway on Sunday, the first day of local train services resuming for all citizens, provided they are fully vaccinated and have taken their second dose at least 14 days before. No incident of crowding was reported inside the trains, railway platforms or outside booking offices as services for the general public resumed after four months. The process of issuing universal passes has also been smooth, officials said. Railways has issued nearly 120,000 monthly season passes to eligible passengers in the past four days.

Approximately 1.2 million passengers travelled by local trains on CR and the rest 1.1 million passengers travelled on WR.

On an average, nearly 2.3 million passengers travel by trains on CR and 2.1 million passengers commute on WR every day.

Passengers who travelled on Sunday said the train commute will ease their financial burden.

Anticipating an increase in the number of passengers next week that could result in crowding, both the zonal railways will be increasing the number of local train services from Monday.

Around 1,300 local train services will be operated on the WR up from the present 1,201 services. On CR, 1,686 services will be operated, an increase from the 1,612 running currently.

“I missed travelling by local trains. I’m travelling today [Sunday] as it is a public holiday and it will be less crowded. I will travel all the way to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and back and enjoy the train travel,” said Aarti Jain, a resident of Vidyavihar.

“I am happy that my company got me fully vaccinated and I was able to get a monthly pass. I was spending over ₹300 every day to travel to my workplace in Andheri. There is no financially viable alternative to local trains for commuting in Mumbai,” said Aslam Shaikh, a Kurla resident.

Low passenger turnout was