Over the last one week, the municipal corporations of Navi Mumbai and Panvel have witnessed a 25 per cent rise in daily cases. It is being speculated that the resumption of locals was responsible for the rise in number. “In the last week of January, we were reporting 50 daily cases, but now they have crossed the 70-mark,” said an officer from the NMMC. However, the death count and recovery rate have remained stable, resulting in no significant jump in active cases, the official added.

Suburban locals were opened for public over staggered timings in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) earlier this month. Navi Mumbai and Panvel corporations have nearly 15 stations on the Harbour and Trans-Harbour railway lines.