The Maharashtragovernment on Thursday launched an online e-pass facility to enable fullyvaccinated people to travel in suburban trains in Mumbai from 15 August. Theonline facility has been launched for those who have completed 14 days afterthe second dose of the Covid vaccine.
The "UniversalTravel Pass" system is developed to make it possible for citizens toobtain e-pass conveniently and smoothly, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation(BMC) said.
Citizens can obtaintravel passes from http://epassmsdma.Mahait.Org, a website developed bythe state government, the release said.
On Sunday, the stategovernment had announced that fully vaccinated people can board suburbantrains, considered Mumbai's lifeline, from August 15 provided they havecompleted 14 days after the second dose of the vaccine, a step that marks amajor relaxation in coronavirus curbs.
On Wednesday, thecivic body had started an offline COVID-19 vaccination certificate verificationprocess for issuing passes to fully inoculated people to enable them to boardlocal trains.
“Those eligible afterverification will be allowed to travel from August 15, 2021 onwards,” the BMCsaid, adding a total of 358 help desks will be set up at 53 railway stationsfalling under the BMC’s jurisdiction.
Apart from this, theBMC has also set up help desks at 56 suburban stations falling in the MumbaiMetropolitan Region (outside BMC limits) by the respective authorities. The BMCsaid the help desks will be operational in two consecutive sessions from 7 AMto 11 PM.
Earlier, Mumbai MayorKishori Pednekar had said that arrangements have been made at 65 railwaystations in Mumbai, where quick response or QR code-based passes will be issuedto people who have taken both doses of COVID-19 vaccine and wish to travel insuburban local trains.
The mayor also saidthat the citizens should not indulge in altercations as long queues are likelyat ticket counters and the people should cooperate and follow the COVID-19norms.
The state governmenthad restricted local train travel to government employees and people employedin essential service staffers, since April 2021, to control the COVID-19 spreadduring the second wave.