Almost half of fully vaccinated population may not take trains

Women commuters board a train at Dadar station. File pic/Ashish Raje

The government's decision to allow fully vaccinated people to use local trains from August 15 is unlikely to benefit the relatively younger population that forms the bulk of the workforce. Of the nearly 24 lakh people who have got both doses in Mumbai, Thane and Palghar till August 1, about 10 lakh are senior citizens and thousands are homemakers. Commuter bodies said the focus should be on making the vaccines easily accessible.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced on August 8 that those who have completed 14 days after their second dose can travel on local trains from Independence Day. State data shows that 23.9 lakh people, apart from essential services and frontline workers, have been administered both the jabs in the districts of Mumbai, Thane and Palghar.

Of these beneficiaries, 15.1 lakh are from Mumbai, 7.44 lakh live in Thane city, Thane district, Kalyan-Dombivli, Badlapur, Mira Bhayandar, Navi Mumbai, Bhiwandi, while 1.35 lakh are from Palghar district.

There is a slight variation between the state and municipal corporation data on vaccination. The state data has no bifurcation for people above 60 years of age who generally don't travel to workplaces.

Also read: Not consulted on Mumbai local trains decision, says junior rail minister Raosaheb Danve

The government has allowed fully vaccinated people with a 14-day cooling period to board local trains from August 15. File pic

The vaccination for senior citizens started in March and inoculation for the 18-44 group kicked off in May. This is the reason there are more elderly people who have got both doses than the younger lot.

As per the data given by corporations, in Mumbai, about 8.78 lakh fully vaccinated individuals are between 18 and 60 years. In Thane, there are 4.22 lakh such residents.

There are 80,000 people in Palghar who have received both doses and are below 60.

Of the 14 lakh eligible citizens, about half are women. Another 1.86 lakh people, who are below 60, received their second dose between August 2 and 8.

"People are travelling without passes and tickets as they don't have any other feasible option. There will be barely a 5 to 10 per cent increase in the current number of passengers as many women and students will not travel despite being fully vaccinated," said Shailesh Goyal, member of Western Railway Zonal Users' Consultative Committee.

On May 25, mid-day had first floated the idea of allowing fully vaccinated citizens to travel by local trains. Goyal added, "The idea is welcome. But the government should have prepared first to make vaccines easily available before the announcement. Now people will turn to paid vaccination which costs R780. The railways, too, has to look after safety and security."

Siddhesh Desai, general secretary of Mumbai Rail Pravasi Sangh, said, "This decision is not going to help passengers in any way. More than half of the people who received both vaccines are seniors and have no need to travel. The issue is with youngsters who are sitting at home without work." He added that the problem is crowding and there are several other ways to ensure smaller crowds. Desai called the local train access a "man-made" problem and not because of Covid.

Current footfall on locals

At present, on an average, between 25 lakh and 30 lakh passengers travel on local trains. These figures are based on official ticketing numbers.

On Central Railway, about 15 to 16 lakh people travel every day and on Western Railway, about 11 to 12 lakh commuters use locals daily.

Fully vaccinated as of August 1

District Below 60 yrs (in lakhs) Above 60 yrs (lakhs)
Mumbai 8.78 6.32
Thane 4.22 3.22
Palghar 0.80 0.55
(The figures exclude healthcare and front line workers)