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

Raosaheb Danve said since the state government had all the information about those vaccinated, the railways will not be able to do the job of verification. File pic

A day after Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced that suburban train travel would be allowed for the fully vaccinated from August 15, a row has erupted between the state government and the Railway Ministry. Minister of state for railways and MP from Maharashtra, Raosaheb Danve, claimed his department was not taken into confidence before the CM took the decision. The state government has, however, refuted the minister's claim, saying officials from both sides had met to discuss the plan of giving QR codes and passes to commuters.

The matter escalated further on Monday and evoked strong reactions from the ruling parties, after Danve insisted that the railways will not take up the responsibility of verifying the vaccination status of commuters through QR codes before entering stations and manage everything beyond the entry points.

Danve said in New Delhi that the railways was prepared to serve the people, but since the state government had all the information about those vaccinated, the railways will not be able to do the job of verification. "The state government should have an arrangement at entry points to check QR codes and photo passes that will be issued by the BMC online and offline," he said.

Discussed with top railway officials: BMC chief

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief Iqbal Singh Chahal told media persons on Monday that the Central Railway's highest authority, general manager and divisional railway manager had discussed the plan in his office last Thursday.

"We sat for an hour discussing the plan. The GM said the state should take the initiative," said Chahal, adding that the photo passes to be issued by the BMC will help in verification because the vaccination certificates don't carry the beneficiary's photo.

Also read: Almost half of fully vaccinated population may not take trains

Railways isn't BJP's private property: Sanjay Raut

Reacting to Danve's statement, Shiv Sena chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said some people in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) (Danve's party) were behaving like they were private owners of national properties like the railways. "Who protested demanding trains for all? It was the BJP, and yet Danve is creating obstacles. Actually, Danve had said a few days ago that the railways would stand by the state government's decision," said Raut, adding that the state was experiencing insane politics. Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole also came down heavily on Danve.