Mumbai: Local trains in Mumbai may resume from New Year, Congress leader and Maharashtra Minister Vijay Waddetiwar said on Tuesday. The Cabinet Minister said that the government is thinking on those lines and suitable arrangements have been made.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) recently stated that it was considering over resumption of Mumbai’s lifeline and a decision will be taken after December 15.

BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal had said, "If the coronavirus surge gets prevented, then we are planning to take a decision on resumption local trains for the general public after December 15.”

The Mumbai local was reopened to people in essential services on June 15 after being amid the COVID-19 crisis in March. Instead of the usual 1,200 passengers, the trains were carrying only 700 essential service providers in order to maintain physical distancing norms.

Employees considered to be essential service providers were permitted to travel in local trains with identity cards. Later, the administration had allotted an electronic pass with a quick response (QR) code in an attempt to confirm less crowding in the trains.

Under the ‘Begin Again’ Mission, the Maharashtra state in October had allowed all women to travel by the local trains. Earlier, only women working in essential services and government offices were allowed to board the local.

In November, the railways had repeated that ladies are barred from travelling along their children in local trains. The decision was once again declared after it was found that a large number of women passengers were seen travelling with their children in the trains.