Mumbai, June 10: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday reiterated his demand for restarting local trains in Mumbai for those involved in providing essential services. Uddhav Thackeray has repeatedly requested the Centre and the Ministry of Railways to start suburban train services in Mumbai for essential service providers. Local trains stopped running when the nationwide lockdown was announced in March. Maharashtra 'Mission Begin Again' Amended Guidelines: Use of Open Gym Equipment, Swings Prohibited, Non-Teaching Staff of Schools Allowed to Operate.

Thackeray had in May requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to start Mumbai local trains for those who work in essential services. "Local trains should run for those people who are allowed to go to work in the Mumbai region," he had reportedly told the Prime Minister during a video conference. Local trains services are called the lifeline of those living in the Mumbai Metropolitan Area (MMA). The MMA includes Mumbai city, Mumbai suburban, Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts.

After the Centre allowed inter-district movement of people as part of its Unlock 1 plan, the Maharashtra government has also permitted travel to and from Mumbai city, Mumbai suburban, Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts without e-passes. Inter-district movement of people had been banned, except for essential services, across Maharashtra since March 25 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus.

A large number of people would daily commute via local trains. Since the state government has allowed privates offices to re-open, officegoers struggle to travel in the absence of local trains. The Uddhav Thackeray has announced a slew of relaxations in the lockdown as part of its "Mission Begin Again" plan to kick-start the economy and businesses which were hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent lockdown.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 10, 2020 06:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).