Lesson of a lifetime in the city’s lifeline

A report stated that railway officials said consistent action against the maskless and commuters flouting other Covid protocols is helping the trains carry on running without disruption

There is a lesson of a lifetime from a lifeline, for Mumbai. The city’s local trains, dubbed its lifeline, have managed to stay on track through the ongoing third wave of the pandemic by avoiding any restrictions. A report stated that railway officials said consistent action against the maskless and commuters flouting other Covid protocols is helping the trains carry on running without disruption.

There have been several commuters fined for not wearing masks, an example of control and curbs being exercised with greater vigilance. This is necessary since Omicron, with its high transmissibility, has become a huge concern.  

When we say there is a lesson to be gleaned from here, it is about how following norms simply means less restrictions and a smoother life. This among all the turmoil, uncertainty and upheaval the outbreak has brought about.  

While the Railways comes as a huge relief to the common man, we must extend adherence to other parts of life, just so that we can see a semblance of normalcy and smoother negotiation there too. From sticking to Covid SOPs on other modes of transport, to on the roads too, we can be instrumental in a ‘return’ to as near normal as possible.

This means wearing masks as shoppers on our roads and insisting that the seller wears one too. It means sticking by the rules, whatever they may be currently, when buying a Covid self-test kit from a chemist. Instead of dithering and getting into nerve wracking arguments, one can give the chemist the details as mandated by the government and walk out with the kit, which means it is smoother going for all.

The Railways, the report said, is ‘on track’ because of enforcement of the rules. Let us follow guidelines everywhere else too, obedience rather than enforcement prevail so that lives get back ‘on track’ as much as possible.

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