Mumbai local trains open for all, stations still see minimal crowd

Travel for general public is allowed till 7 am from the start of the first local train then from 12 pm to 4 pm and then after 9 pm.

As Mumbai local trains opened for the general public on February 1 with staggered timings, a Mid-Day reporter took a ride on the Central and Western line before 7 am and found out that commuters preferred not to crowd stations.

Travel for the general public is allowed till 7 am from the start of the first local train then from 12 pm to 4 pm and then after 9 pm.

Churchgate station

A minimal crowd was seen across Thane, Kurla, Dadar, Mumbai Central and Churchgate stations. Most of the passengers were government employees, vendors, and those travelling outstation in scheduled express trains.

Dadar station was virtually empty at 6 am and so was Mumbai Central station. Even the harbour line trains were empty at a junction station of Kurla.

LIVE! #MumbaiLocalTrainDay1 Dadar station..No crowd at 6am. Not many seem to have taken risk! pic.twitter.com/X6XYPXIDeH

— Rajendra B. Aklekar (@rajtoday) February 1, 2021

At the Churchgate station, most of the gates were closed causing confusion among the commuters. The pedestrian subway was also shut before 7 am. Only entrances on either side were opened up till early morning.

LIVE! #MumbaiLocalTrainDay1 Anti-spitting announcements inside @Central_Railway trains as services open @mid_day pic.twitter.com/lGNRxoVPSK

— Rajendra B. Aklekar (@rajtoday) January 31, 2021

At Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), there was no crowd before 7 am.

LIVE! #MumbaiLocalTrainDay1 Mumbai CSMT. No crowds before 7am. The next slot for general public now is 12 noon to 4pm. @mid_day pic.twitter.com/OAN4spwFmt

— Rajendra B. Aklekar (@rajtoday) February 1, 2021

LIVE! #MumbaiLocalTrainDay1
Ticket and ID checking begins at 7am. Mumbai CSMT station @mid_day pic.twitter.com/byz4sHo5dY

— Rajendra B. Aklekar (@rajtoday) February 1, 2021

Travel by local trains, the lifeline for Mumbaikars, was restricted in March 2020 after the coronavirus outbreak.

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