Mumbai: 'Simplify process to get QR pass,' say citizens

Essential services workers travelling in a local train while maintaining social distance. Pic/Satej Shinde

With the Maharashtra government releasing the detailed process of obtaining QR codes, many are voicing their opinion seeking changes in the rules for travelling onboard the local trains.

While many want a simplified process to procure the QR code, several others want medical professionals to be allowed onboard the locals. Moreover, a few others too have come forward seeking clarity on how individual doctors and health workers can access local trains.

"The health workers and all those in the essential services category should be able to take full benefit of local trains that is the fastest mode of transport in the city. It is a welcome move that QR passes are being issued to authenticate only genuine essential workers, but the government must make the procedure easier," Shailesh Goyal, a member of Western Railway's (WR) Zonal Consultative Committee, the official passenger representative body on WR said.

While doctors and health workers have asked for new rules to travel in local trains, several private employees too are concerned about their jobs. "No government is bothered about private job employees. It has been almost four months since they have stopped going to work. Is the local train only for essential services people and not for the common man?" Nisha Shukla, a private employee said.

However, railway officials have defended the state government's decision to only allow essential workers in local trains as of now. "The detailed unlock plan has been worked out by the Maharashtra government in consultation with the railways. There have been multiple cases of fake government IDs in use. This is leading to crowding onboard trains, leaving no social distancing and other COVID-19 protocols. Hence it is important to curb crowd on locals to maintain a safe distance between commuters," a senior official said.

With 350 trains on Western Railway and 352 on Central Railway, there are just about 702 train services running in Mumbai.

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