Mumbai: No restriction yet on public transport but stay masked

While commuter organisations have appealed to the railways to maintain AC temperatures on local and outstation trains, railways have told their staff to take precautionary doses

Mumbai's public transport services are yet to issue any restrictions or regulations in view of the global surge in COVID-19 cases. However, officials said it is advisable that commuters and staffers wear masks. They said the state government would issue guidelines if required. Railways has appealed to its staffers to take the precautionary dose of vaccine and follow COVID-appropriate behaviour. Meanwhile, commuters have urged the railways to maintain the AC temperature in local and outstation trains. 

Public transport undertakings such as Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), BEST and railways said no guidelines related to COVID were in place currently and added that it is the state government which would take a call on this. 

Despite the recent global COVID surge, a majority of commuters continue without masks, as seen at CSMT on Friday. Pic/Ashish Raje

‘Mask up’

Commuter organisations have appealed to rail commuters in regular and AC local trains to mask up to curb the spread of the infectious disease. The bodies also suggested that railways keep the cooling in AC locals under control. “The temperature of AC locals should be maintained and not be extra cool. Also, the railways should be making it mandatory to wear masks before things go out of hand,” said Haresh Mehta, a regular AC commuter.

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Railways’ preparations

The railways have begun internal preparations to deal with COVID by adopting a strategy of a combination of vigilance through clinical and pandemic surveillance, “scenario-based” planning, and keeping all systems on alert for a rapid, scale up response when needed.

“Our focus and effort should be on the five-point strategy of test-track-treat-vaccinate and adherence to COVID-appropriate behaviour. Production units have been directed to make necessary arrangements for procurement of vaccines and we are encouraging all railway beneficiaries to take the precautionary dose. Railways and production units will be organising multiple vaccination camps at railway health facilities, work places, different stations, etc. Welfare inspectors, supervisors of different departments, scouts and guides are to be roped in to make it successful,” an official note said.

“It is requested that as far as possible samples of positive cases on a daily basis may be sent to designated INSACOG Genome Sequencing Laboratories that are mapped to state and Union territories in coordination with state nodal authorities. Railways and production units will be in touch with state nodal authorities regarding directives issued by states for managing COVID-19,” the note added.

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