As Mumbai braces itself for reopening local train operations to fully vaccinated people in the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has set up a total of 358 help desks at 53 railway stations under its jurisdiction.
Moreover, help desks will be set up at 56 suburban stations falling in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (outside BMC limits) by the respective authorities.
The BMC has said that the help desks will be operational in two consecutive sessions from 7 am to 11 pm.
"Help Desks to verify the eligibility to travel in local train have been provided at various station in coordination with State Government. Passengers are requested to avail this facility," the Central Railway announced via its official Twitter handle.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday had said that the process to issue passes for travel by local trains in the Mumbai region for those who have taken both doses of COVID-19 vaccines will begin at railway stations from Wednesday.
The passes will be issued after verification of the vaccination status, the BMC said in a release. The BMC release said those who want to purchase a pass are required to carry a hard copy of the COVID-19 vaccination final certificate and a photo ID for verification.
Help Desk at Kalyan Railway Station. | Twitter/@Central_Railway
Help Desk at Kandivali Railway Station | Twitter/@Central_Railway
BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said, "In order to make it convenient for the citizens to travel in local trains and obtain Railway Monthly Pass, an offline verification process for Covid-19 Final Vaccination (completed 14 days after second dose) will start from August 11 at 53 railway stations in BMC jurisdiction area and at total of 109 railway stations in Mumbai Metropolitan Region. It will be functional in two consecutive sessions from 7 am to 11 pm."
"This will be facilitated both online and offline. The process of creating an app and starting the online process may take a little more time. Hence, the offline process will start from August 11, so that there is no inconvenience to Mumbaikars," Chahal added.
Help Desk at Ghatkopar Railway Station. | Twitter/@Central_Railway
Help Desk at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Railway Station | Twitter/@Central_Railway
The offline process of issuing monthly season passes will continue on all seven days of the week, until further notice.
Chahal informed that the process will begin at 53 suburban railway stations in the BMC jurisdiction area, including stations on the Central, Western and Harbour Line.
Help Desk at Dombivli Railway Station. | Twitter/@Central_Railway
Help Desk at Kalva Railway Station. | Twitter/@Central_Railway
"Citizens who have completed 14 days after receiving the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine can go to the nearest railway station with a hard copy of the Final Vaccination Certificate (second dose) along with proof of photo identity. Citizens should note that if they do not have both or even one of these documents, they will be denied entry by the railway administration at the railway station," the BMC notice read.
Help Desk at Byculla Railway Station. | Twitter/@Central_Railway
Further, it has been informed that the desks will be functional in two consecutive sessions, 7 am to 3 pm and from 3 pm to 11 pm. "The BMC or the concerned Local Self Government staff at the help desk will check the validity of the Final Vaccination Certificate (Second Dose) of the concerned citizen on the CoWin app. They will also check the photo ID proof. Once the verification is completed and both the documents are found to be valid, the certificate and the identification proof will be stamped in the prescribed format," it stated.
Once the COVID Certificate is stamped, a Railway Monthly Pass would be issued by the Railway, on its basis. It is important to note that the pass will only be valid from August 15 onwards.
Help Desk at Kings Circle Railway Station | Twitter/@Central_Railway
The notice also mentioned that those who are not vaccinated, or have just received a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine, would not be allowed to travel on suburban trains at present.
"Strict police action under the Epidemic Control Act/Disaster Management Act/ Indian Penal Code, will be taken if a citizen tries to produce fake/ bogus Covid Vaccination Certificate," the BMC notice read.
Help Desk at Kopakhairne Railway Station. | Twitter/@Central_Railway
Employees in essential services, and the Government, Semi-Government employees have been allowed to travel by local trains irrespective of Covid vaccination.
