New Delhi: Women travellers will finally be able to use the Mumbai local trains from today.  The local train services were shut since March due to the pandemic. Even after the trains resumed from October 15, there were restrictions on women and only those engaged in essential work and frontline staff were allowed to commute using a QR code mechanism.

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The decision for the go-ahead was announced by the Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday who said that that all women passengers will be allowed to travel in local trains in Mumbai and suburbs from Wednesday. He also informed the decision via Twitter


On October 16 the Maharashtra government had requested the railways to allow women to commute by local trains during the non-peak hours - from 11 am to 3 pm, and from 7 pm till the end of the day's services.

Know 6 important things

  • At present only women engaged in frontline duties and essential staff as categorised by the Maharashtra government are allowed to travel in the local trains run by the Central Railway and the Western Railway using a QR code mechanism. Now QR code will not be utilised and women will need to purchase tickets.

  • A report by Hindustan Times says four ladies special local trains will be added from Wednesday.

  • All women commuters can board local trains from 11 am to 3 pm and from 7 pm onwards.

  • During this time only tickets will be checked and there will be no checking of women for QR code or identity cards.

  • The Western railways have also increased its suburban services to 700 to maintain social distancing. While the Central Railway had added 225 more trains and is running a total of 706 services.

  • Passengers will have to follow all covid-19 precautions such as wearing masks and maintain social distancing norms while boarding, alighting at railway stations.


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