The Bombay High Court on Thursday asked the Maharashtra government to get back to the court on allowing train travel for all in Mumbai, reported Live Law.
A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Girish Kulkarni was hearing a clutch of public interest litigations (PIL) seeking directions for allowing local train travel for vaccinated lawyers, journalists, and fully vaccinated citizens in Mumbai.
According to Live Law, Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhkoni informed the High Court that a letter from the State Disaster Management Authority to the Railways for train travel for lawyers would be issued by today evening.
The Advocate General said that the members of the bar association suggested certain changes which will be incorporated. "Passes can be issued over the weekend," Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhkoni informed the High Court.
Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhkoni also said that the state is looking into the issue of allowing journalists as well.
Meanwhile, Chief Justice Dipankar Datta asked Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhkoni if there were restrictions on bus travel, to which the Advocate General replied "No".
"Travelling by Train in Mumbai is important for people as bus charges are very high. These are important issues touching the livelihood of people, so if the administrative machinery is geared up to look into these issues, everything would be fine," Chief Justice Dipankar Datta said, reported Live Law.
The Court adjourned the case to Thursday.
On Monday, the Bombay High Court had asked the Maharashtra government why people who had received both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine could not be permitted to travel by local trains in Mumbai.
What was even the purpose of taking both doses of the vaccine if citizens were expected to stay inside their homes even after taking the anti-Covid-19 jabs, a bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice GS Kulkarni asked.
The bench was responding to a submission made by Maharashtra Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni that the state disaster management authority was "reluctant" to permit all lawyers, judicial clerks and court staff to resume local train travel.
Currently, only frontline health workers and government staff are permitted to use local trains, which are considered as the lifeline of Mumbai.
The HC was hearing a bunch of public interest litigations filed by lawyers and private persons through senior counsel Milind Sathe, advocates Shyam Dewani and Alankar Kirpekar, among others, seeking that lawyers be permitted to travel by local trains and Metro rail to commute to courts and their offices.
(With inputs from PTI)
