The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday issued guidelines to help people get monthly pass to travel by local trains. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had on Sunday said that those who had received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine could take the local trains from August 15.
The offline verification procedure for issuing pass will start at 7 a.m. on Wednesday at all suburban railway stations. Those who have completed 14 days since their second dose are required to carry a hard copy of the COVID-19 final vaccination certificate and a photo ID for verification.
While 358 help desks will be set up near the ticket windows at 53 railway stations within the BMC limits, similar desks will be opened at 109 stations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The help desks will be operational from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m..
Upon presenting the COVID-19 final vaccination certificate at the ticket window, railway officials will verify it and issue a pass. This pass-based travel facility will be valid only from August 15.
“The CM has announced that eligible citizens will be able to travel by local trains from August 15. This will be facilitated both online and offline. However, the process of creating an app and starting the online process may take a little more time. Hence, the offline process will start on Wednesday, so that there is no inconvenience to Mumbaikars,” Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said.
This offline process of issuing monthly season pass would continue on all seven days of the week till further orders and therefore, citizens should not rush to the railway stations, he said, adding that strict legal action will would be taken if fake or bogus certificates were found.
All municipal corporations/municipal councils/local self government institutions in the MMR have been directed to make similar arrangements from Wednesday.
