Increase In Frequency Of Local Train Services Will Ameliorate Grievance Of Large Cross Section Of Public; Bombay HC Suggests State [Read Order]

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday while hearing a batch of PILs and a writ petition seeking directions for members of the legal profession and their registered clerks to be included in the category of providers of "essential services" and therefore be entitled to travel by the suburban local trains operated by the Central Railway and the Western Railway, observed that increase in the number of local train services will ameliorate grievance of a large cross section of the public. Court reiterated that not only the concern expressed by the members of the legal profession and their registered clerks to allow them avail of the local train services operated by the Central Railway and the Western Railway would be considered but the scope of the PIL petitions needs to be expanded to cover personnel/staff of other sectors too, who would also be similarly interested in availing such services. The bench further observed- "In our considered prima facie view, increase in the frequency of local train services by the Railways could be a seen as a reasonable step to cater to the needs of all others who normally travel by train and to ameliorate the grievance of a large cross section of the public, subject to the condition of requiring all commuters to maintain the prescribed distancing norms." Thereafter, Court requested Government Pleader Purnima Kantharia to obtain instructions, particularly in view of the aforesaid submission of Mr. Singh, as to whether the State would propose to the Railways for increasing the number of local train services to the extent of at least 700 daily services by both the Western Railway and the Central Railway from the present 512 and 431 services, respectively, being operated by them, with proportionate increase for the Harbour line.