Indian railways decided to allow teaching and trainee staff carrying valid identity cards, students carrying valid tickets for Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Education exams to travel on suburban trains in Mumbai.
The permit was granted to allow students to ride the suburban trains according to a joint press release from the Western and Central Railways area of Indian Railways, which operates suburban trains in Mumbai and its nearby areas. The permit will be valid until December 10, 2020. The decision will bring a reprieve for the students who will take the next exam.
In early November 13, teachers and non-teaching school personnel were allowed to board suburban trains running in Mumbai and its metropolitan region amid the coronavirus outbreak, railway officials said Friday.
In a joint statement, Western and Central Railways, which operate the suburban system in MMR, said permission has been granted with immediate effect.
Valid identity cards are the authority to enter the stations, according to the statement, adding that adherence to social distancing and other regulations in place for the COVID-19 outbreak were a must.
The state government had asked railroads last week to allow this section to address suburban services, which resumed on June 15 on the condition that only those designated as essential services personnel can travel.
Meanwhile, the Central Railway area has started eight special local train services from Belapur and Nerul to Kharkopar station on its suburban route in neighboring Navi Mumbai starting November 20.
Previously, the Central Railroad resumed its special suburban services, which were halted in March due to the COVID-19 outbreak, starting June 15 on main, port and transport lines for essential services personnel, including government employees and police personnel.
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