Mumbai local trains: App not ready, but offline booking for passes opens today

Employees of the essential services sectors at Kandivli railway station. File pic/Satej Shinde

With the app still being developed, the state government has ordered issuance of monthly passes at stations from today, August 11. All civic bodies in the MMR have been told to set up help desks at railway stations to verify relevant documents of commuters eligible to travel via local trains. Here, officials will verify citizens' second Covid-19 dose certificate and ID card, and stamp these documents. Commuters can then buy a monthly pass, to be valid only from August 15, at the ticket counter. Daily tickets won't be issued.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had earlier announced that the general public can start taking local trains 14 days after receiving their second dose of Covid-19 vaccine. For this, an app was being developed for the issuance of an universal photo travel pass (having a QR code and commuter's photo) to buy a monthly pass, but some more time is needed to get it ready.

BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said, "The process of creating an app and starting the online process may take a little more time. Hence, the offline process will start from August 11 at 53 stations in the BMC's jurisdiction, and at 109 stations on Central, Western and Harbour lines in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. It will be functional from 7 am to 11 pm."

Also read: Mumbai local trains: Grace period for early ticket booking?

He added that the offline process of issuance of monthly season passes will continue on all seven days of the week till further orders. "Therefore, citizens need not rush to the railway stations. A total of 358 help desks will be set up by the BMC at 53 stations. Though the passes will be issued from today, they will be valid only from August 15, 2021," Chahal said.

A civic official said strict legal action will be taken if fake or bogus certificates are found.

Documents needed

Eligible people can visit their nearest railway station, present the certificate of the second Covid-19 dose administered 14 days ago, and a government-issued photo ID card (preferably Aadhaar). "Citizens should carry a photocopy of the ID card which will be stamped after verification," a statement from the Mantralaya said.

Personnel at the help desks will verify the authenticity of the vaccination certificate by scanning the QR code. Once verified, they will stamp the certificate and the ID card's photocopy. Commuters can use these to get the monthly season pass at the ticket window. While commuting, citizens must carry the season ticket, vaccination certificates and ID card, the government said.

Tight screening

The government has proposed to put in place a strict system of checking through the police force. "People with the universal pass or vaccination certificates along with a photo ID card or the season ticket will be allowed to enter the railway platforms."

Documents of commuters will be strictly checked to avoid misuse of the relaxation. File pic

Government, semi-government and other employees in essential services will be allowed to travel by local trains as per the prevailing practice, irrespective of Covid-19 vaccination.

Under secretary of the disaster management unit, Shrirang Gholap, in a government notification on Tuesday said that once the app is up and running, commuters won't have to approach the help desks at the stations. They can submit the required documents online and get the universal pass, and use it to buy their monthly season ticket. While travelling, they will have to carry both the ticket and the universal pass.

The universal pass will specifically mention 'Level 3', and will be applicable only till the BMC and District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) keep the level of restrictions at 3 or below, the notification added.

Police have been asked to allow universal pass holders or people with verified documents to enter the railway premises after checking at the entry points till August 31. Thereafter, with due assessment of the need, police may decide to conduct random checks to ensure that only authorised people are travelling.

How to book your monthly pass today?

>> Citizens, who got their second Covid-19 shot 14 days back can visit the nearest railway station with the final vaccination certificate (of second dose), a photo ID card (preferably Aadhaar) and its photocopy
>> All documents are mandatory to enter the railway station
>> Get your documents verified at the help desk, where vaccination certificate and ID card photocopy will be stamped
>> Show the stamped documents at the ticket window to buy the monthly pass

What to carry...

To get the pass

>> Final Vaccination
>> Certificate (of second dose)
>> Government photo ID card (preferably Aadhaar). >>Original for reference and a photocopy for stamping

While travelling on train
>> Final vaccination certificate
>> Valid photo ID card
>> Universal monthly pass (when issued by app)

11 PM
Time help desks at stations will close daily