Maharashtra BJP announces protest, demands resumption of local train service for vaccinated people

The Maharashtra government had hinted that fully vaccinated passengers would be permitted to travel in suburban train services, but the latest announcement did not offer the required respite.

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Mumbai: Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced a protest against the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government on Friday (August 6) and demanded restarting local train service in Mumbai for the general public who have been fully inoculated with both doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

Praveen Darekar, leader of Opposition in Council, will be holding the protest at Churchgate station on Friday morning, according to news agency PTI.

Earlier, it was hinted that the fully vaccinated passengers could be permitted to travel unrestricted in suburban train services, but the latest announcement on the ease of COVID-induced lockdown did not offer the required respite.

Mumbai Congress chief Bhai Jagtap had also demanded that the local train service should at least restart for those inoculated with both doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

Local trains being the primary and the most convenient mode of transport in Mumbai and its suburban area, several train commuters associations and the general public are demanding restarting of the service for all.During the second wave of COVID-19, the Maharashtra government had put restrictions on local train travel fearing the spread of the virus. 

Currently, the local trains are running only for staff related to essential services.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra BJP unit on Thursday (August 5) claimed that the party will not let any local body elections take place until the issue of other backward classes (OBC) reservation gets resolved.

(With inputs from news agencies)