Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday suggested an increase in frequency of local trains in Mumbai to check overcrowding, as the government has granted permission to several sectors to resume work.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice GS Kulkarni was hearing a bunch of petitions, seeking a direction to the government of Maharashtra to include lawyers and their clerical staff under essential services and permit them to use the local trains to attend court and their office.

The court directed the State government to consider its suggestions and see if it can forward a proposal to the Railways for an increase in the frequency of trains.

The judges also clarified that their suggestion is not just for lawyers and their staff, but for the public too.

The bench said, “We cannot direct the Railways or the State government to increase the frequency. But we hope and trust that the State government responds favourably to our suggestions.”

The bench further said, “We are now in partial lockdown. Malls are open, hotels are allowed to remain open, government offices are working with 100 per cent staff and several other sectors are now working. Railway services need to correspond with this.”

The court on Wednesday said the number of trains should be increased to 600 on the central and harbour lines and up to 700 on the western line. The court would continue hearing these petitions on Friday.