Mumbai: BJP says public will defy govt, travel by train from August 2

MUMBAI: Mumbaikars will defy prohibitory orders and begin travelling by train from August 2, warned the BJP on Thursday.
The party said that two weeks ago the Centre had said suburban railways may be opened for the general public with adequate precautions. “The absence of a concrete alternative public transportation plan has put the common man to immense hardship to just reach his place of work, assuming he still has a job. In the face of adversities the monthly spend on office commute has shot up many times,” a BJP politician said.
The BJP had earlier demanded the government pay a monthly allowance of Rs 5,000 per person if it does not wish to allow train travel.
BJP state president Chandrakant Patil said the government must allow those who have taken both vaccine doses to continue normal activities with precautions.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray also wrote to CM Uddhav Thackeray demanding use of local train services for those who have taken both doses. The MNS chief said the restrictions were leading to overcrowding in buses. “What is the logic behind putting restrictions on local trains and running overcrowded buses?” he said.
He said the government should not test the common man’s patience.