Unlock 5: Now, local trains in the financial capital have been open to dabbawalas and staff of foreign consulates and high commissions. In view of the pandemic and rising number of Covid-19 cases, local trains are currently being run only for people employed in essential services who are allowed to travel in suburban trains. The news have definitely brought cheer among the Dabbawala fraternity. Also Read: IRCTC Alert! Tejas Express Trains To Resume Operations From October 17; Check Route, Booking & Travel Guidelines

The famous lunch-box carriers in Mumbai who expressed happiness over the news  had stated earlier that the six-month break has been witnessed for the first time in the "130 -year-old history of the tiffin services. They had demanded access to local trains to resume their services in full capacity.

More than 5,000 dabbawalas carry out the tiffin delivery business in the city and before the pandemic they used to deliver over two lakh tiffins to office-goers on normal working days.

A majority of them travelled through suburban trains to deliver lunch boxes at various destinations on time. So far they were able to deliver to destinations they could access by riding cycles. The Western Railway has taken the decision on Wednesday based on the unlock guidelines issued by the Maharashtra government on September 30.

Along with dabbawalas, the staff of foreign consulates and high commissions can also travel in local trains, as per the directives received from the Ministry of Railways. Suburban trains mostly referred to as the ‘local trains’, is presently restricted for the general public in wake of the pandemic. Mumbai’s local train network has not been in regular operation since the first lockdown which was enforced to contain the spread of Covid-19.

What should you know?

Remember QR-coded ID cards issued by the state government will be mandatory to travel in local trains, but dabbawalas have requested that they be allowed to travel on their identity cards.

If the Maharashtra government agrees to the demand of dabbawalas, the authority will permit them to travel on their ID cards.

In view of coronavirus pandemic, the Maharashtra government had issued an order making a QR code-based pass mandatory for all essential service passengers in order to be able to travel by local trains in Mumbai.

Last month, the authorities allowed employees of co-operative and private banks to start using Mumbai's suburban train service. Mumbai added 1,625 new cases, taking its count to 2,17,113, while the death toll rose to 9,202 with 47 fatalities in a day as on Tuesday.