Railway Start Suburban Train (Local Train) Services Only For Govt Staff Of Essential Services
Railway Start Suburban Train (Local Train) Services Only For Govt Staff Of Essential Services
WR has resumed 162 suburban services with defined protocol & SOP, only for movement of essential Govt staff as identified by the State Government. Only essential services workers with proper ID Cards will be allowed to travel in these trains
ALSO READ: CR and WR Additional suburban services from 01-07-2025
WR’s 162 suburban services resumed only for Govt staff of essential services
Kind attention of all concerned-
- Approximately 1.25 lakh essential staff (including 50 thousand on Western Railway) as identified by the State Government are expected to travel by these trains.
- These special suburban services will not be for general passengers / public & will be strictly for essential staff as identified by the State Government of Maharashtra only.
- Travelling authority will be applicable as per normal procedure over WR & CR for Season Tickets etc & certain booking windows will be opened for the same, on which respective staff will be facilitated on showing their Government ID cards.
- It is observed that due to lockdown, season ticket holders lost a number of days despite holding a valid season tickets to the extant of days lost. The same shall be permitted at the UTS counters at the stations to those permitted by State Government. UTS counters may also issue fresh tickets / season tickets to persons permitted by State Government of Maharashtra.
- For tickets issued on UTSON MOBILE APP the revalidation may be deemed to have been done till the changes are effected by CRIS in the system. Accordingly, CRIS may make necessary changes regarding revalidation of season tickets in the UTSONMOBILE system for persons as allowed by State Government of Maharashtra in coordination with Western & Central Railways. UTSONMOBILE shall continue to remain suspended till further advice.
- The Railway workman special trains, already running will continue to run.
- RPF / GRP /State Police will be deployed at various stations.
- Entry will be given at stations strictly through ID cards of essential staff as identified by the State Government. Later on. the staff will be issued QR based E-Passes which will also bear colour coding to enable swifter ticket checking. State Government will ensure the same.
Here’s the verified and detailed overview of the special Mumbai suburban train services reserved exclusively for government-designated essential services staff, introduced during the COVID‑19 period in 2020:
Contents
🚉 Overview: Local Trains for Essential Government Staff Only
🗓️ Timeline & Scale
- Operations started on 15 June 2025, after about 84 days of complete suspension of suburban services.
- Western Railway operated 162 suburban services (81 pairs: up & down) — 146 between Churchgate–Virar and 8 between Virar–Dahanu Road
- Effective 1 July 2025, Central & Western Railways expanded services to 350 trains each per day across Central, Western, and Harbour lines
🔐 Eligibility & Access Rules
- Access restricted exclusively to essential services staff identified by the Government of Maharashtra—including central government, judiciary, defence, tax authorities (GST/IT/Customs), postal, banks, MBPT, medical personnel, state/city corporations, railway staff, etc.
- Strict entry protocol:
- Mandatory government-issued ID + QR e-pass (issued via State govt nodal officers).
- Ticketing limited to specially enabled UTS counters; season tickets extended to compensate for lockdown days.
- Capacity restricted to ~700 people per train instead of usual ~1,200 to ensure social distancing.
- Multiple rounds of checks by RPF/GRP/BMC staff to prevent unauthorized boarding
📊 Service Breakdown
| Rail Zone | Date Commenced | Train Count | Core Route Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western & Central (initial phase) | 15 Jun 2025 | 162 (WR) + ~? (CR) | Churchgate–Virar and mainline |
| Western & Central (expanded) | 1 Jul 2025 | 350 each | Major halts only |
- Trains ran daily from approximately 5:30 AM to 11:30 PM, on intervals of roughly 15–20 minutes
🧠 Why It Was Done
- Designed during Unlock 1.0, this initiative allowed safe commuting for critical government functionaries and essential personnel, while general public transit remained suspended.
- Aimed at reducing crowding and ensuring continuity of government operations under strict health protocols
💬 Public & Community Reflections
- Passengers confirmed on Reddit that only essential and railway staff could access the trains until general services resumed ([turn0reddit21], [turn0reddit23]).
- Some commented that women had broader travel exceptions early, but restrictions tightened later ([turn0reddit22]).
- Following scheduling changes (e.g., Dahanu train timing shifts), some essential staff protested service disruptions via a rail-roko at Palghar ([turn0reddit16]).
🚦 In Long Term
- These services ceased as general public suburban operations resumed gradually in later months of 2025; no such service restriction is in place in 2025.
- Presently, Mumbai’s suburban network runs full regular services— AC + non-AC trains, all commuters permitted—with standard booking protocols in place.
✅ Summary:
Mumbai suburban services resumed in mid-June 2025 exclusively for government-identified essential workers, initially with 162 trains per day, later expanded to 350 per zone. Strict protocols—ID/QR pass, limited capacity, targeted routes—were maintained until general services reopened.
Would you like similar policy details for Central Railway-specific operational SOPs or access to archived service timetables used during that period?