Mumbai local trains to open for public from February 1: Check timings

There will be timing restrictions to manage the crowd in Mumbai local trains amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moneycontrol News

January 29, 2021 / 02:27 PM IST

Mumbai local train (File image: Reuters)

The Maharashtra government has approved the resumption of suburban train services in Mumbai for the general public from February 1. However, there will be timing restrictions to manage the crowd amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

As per the order issued by the Maharashtra government on January 29, the general public will be allowed to take Mumbai local trains till 7 am from the start of the first local train service, between 12 noon and 4 pm and then again after 9 pm, reported CNBC-TV18.

From 7 am to 12 noon and from 4 pm to 9 pm, only passengers permitted by the Ministry of Railways and the Maharashtra government are allowed to travel on the suburban trains in the country's financial capital. Currently, only some categories of commuters, like women and those providing essential services, can travel by local trains in the Mumbai region after obtaining a special pass, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Follow our LIVE blog for the latest updates of the novel coronavirus pandemic

Local trains have been off bounds for the general public since March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. They resumed in June for the essential service workers.

COVID-19 Vaccine

Frequently Asked Questions

How does a vaccine work?

A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine.

How many types of vaccines are there?

There are broadly four types of vaccine — one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine.

What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind?

Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time.

Show