Ahead of the Maharashtra Government formalising modalities for restoring the suburban train services for the commuters in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), the Central and Western Railways announced on Sunday that they would increase the number of services by another 753 and together operate 2,773 suburban train services from Monday.
Making an announcement about augmenting the suburban services from Monday, the Central and Western Railways indirectly put the onus of restoring the normal suburban train services in the MMR on the Maharashtra government. The two Railways said that they had given necessary inputs sought by the Uddhav Thackeray dispensation on Wednesday last for opening up “the local train services to the general public while ensuring adherence to following all COVID 19 protocols”.
“Railways are hoping that the State Government will revert soon deciding the modalities for providing services to the commuters in MMR,” the two railways stated in a joint media update issued here on Sunday evening.
As part of its effort to increase suburban services keeping in view the social distance norms and safety of the public at large, the two Railways said that they would operate 2773 suburban services from Monday.
While the CR and WR increased suburban trains from 1,410 to 2,020 on Sunday, the two Railways will start another 753 suburban services from Monday to take the total number of suburban train services to 2773.
Currently, 1020 suburban services are run on the Central Railway, while the Western Railway is operating 1000 suburban services.
With an addition of 552 suburban services, the total number of services on the Central Railway will go up to 1572 from Monday. Similarly, another additional 201 suburban services will be run on the Western Railway to take the total number of services to 1201.
Meanwhile, both the CR and WR said in an appeal that they expected the commuters should follow medical and social Covid-19 protocols as mandated from time to time.
“In order to observe all norms mandated for Covid-19, Passengers are requested not to rush inside the train and at station at a time. The public is requested not to believe in any rumours,” the two Railways stated in their joint media update.It may be recalled that on October 28, the Maharashtra government said that it “is looking to open up the local train services to the general public while ensuring adherence to following all COVID 19 protocols”.
In an effort to ensure that this is done in a staggered manner, Maharashtra’s secretary for Disaster Management, Relief and Rehabilitation Kishor Raje Nimbalkar recommended the following time slots—from the day’s first local to 7.30 am for any person with valid ticket or pass, from 8 am to 10.30 am for essential services with valid QR Code, I card along with valid ticket or pass, from 11 am to 4.30 pm for any person with valid ticket or pass, from 5pm to 7.30 pm for essential services with valid QR Code, I card along with valid ticket or pass and from 8 pm till local for any person with ticket or pass.
In his letter, Nimbalkar also recommended the operation of ladies special trains – one local each in every hour.
In all, a staggering 80 lakh commuters travel daily in suburban trains on the Main and Harbour lines of the Central Railway and the Western Railway to and fro from the distant suburbs to their offices, a majority of which are located in south Mumbai.
In his letter, Nimbalkar stated the schedule suggested by the state government required an increased number of local trains to meet the demand of the categories of commuters specified by it.
Nimbalkar asked the Central and Western Railways to give their inputs on the suggestions made by the state government.
Quoting the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), both the Railways in their response to the State government’s letter of October 28, a maximum of 700 passengers can be seated in a 12 car EMU rake as per social distancing norms against 1200 passengers who can be seated
As a part of the unanimously decided SOP, maximum of 700 passengers can be seated in a 12 car EMU rake as per social distancing norms against 1200 passengers who can be seated. Therefore,1410 services are run in Mumbai Suburban section, having the total carrying capacity of approx. 9,80,000.
In this regard, it is clarified that Railways has always been ready to augment/enhance Suburban services keeping social distancing norms. We are working closely with Maharashtra Govt. to provide these additional services after consultation with them about necessary modalities accordingly.
It is worth mentioning that currently, Railways are running 1410 special suburban services. As a part of the unanimously decided SOP, maximum of 700 passengers can be seated in a 12 car EMU rake as per social distancing norms against 1200 passengers who can be seated.
In effect, the CR and WR will be able to carry 19.41 lakh commuters in the 2773 suburban services to be run by them from Monday. The commuter carrying capacity of the two Railways will be nearly one-fourth of 80 lakh commuters who used to travel by the suburban lockdown more than seven months ago.