Mumbai:
The Maharashtra government has requested the general managers of the Central and Western Railway to allow all women to travel on local trains in the Mumbai region from Saturday.
A senior rail official said the proposal has been sent to the Railroad Board.
Currently, only restricted categories of people, including essential services personnel, can travel on local trains in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
In letters sent to both zonal railroads on Thursday, the state Secretary for Disaster Management, Relief and Rehabilitation, Kishor Raje Nimbalkar, said train services should be available to female passengers from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 7 p.m. on forward until the end of services. for the day.
QR code passes, which are currently granted to those with the right to travel, should not be required of women to travel during these time slots, he said.
The frequency of trains should also be increased, the letter said.
Mumbai rail authorities said the proposal was sent to the Railway Board for approval.
A senior rail official said the assent of the board is necessary to make this decision.
Meanwhile, Western Railway also wrote a letter to the Maharashtra government asking it to assess the number of passengers that is likely to increase, so that
COVID-19 security protocols can be planned. He also proposed a meeting between railroad officials and the state government to determine the modalities.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is posted from a syndicated channel.)
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