While Mumbai local trains will resume the operation for all from February 1, the condition of the fixed time slots has created confusion among netizens.
For the general public, local trains will be available in three time slots:
From the start of the day's services to 7 am
12:00 pm to 4:00 pm
9:00 pm to the end of the day
As per the instructions of the Maharashtra government, between 7:00 am to 12:00 pm and from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm only those engaged in essential services will be allowed to travel.
These fixed time slots led to confusion over the end timing of the slot. One Twitter account which goes by the username @mumbairailusers has come up with a hilarious meme which sums up this confusion.
The meme is posted with a caption - "Whether a common passenger in Mumbai needs to complete the journey by 7 am or up to 7 am he can start his journey."
While several upvoted the meme, few shared it and asked the same question.
Check the meme here:
Before the pandemic struck, the Central Railway was operating 1,774 suburban services daily, while the Western Railway operated 1,367 services.
Currently, the two railway authorities are operating 2,985 services, about 95 per cent of the total 3,141 services, on Mumbai's suburban network. Of these, 204 special suburban services were added on Friday morning.
The state government said in its circular about local trains that it will request all establishments to stagger their work schedule so that employees can benefit from the new schedule.
The government also directed that shops in Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) be allowed to operate till 11 pm, and restaurants till 1 am.
"Thirty per cent limit for the staff in these establishments will continue to be in force and they will be allowed to operate as per the SoPs issued for daily operations of the same by various departments of the government," it said.
(With inputs from PTI)
