Mumbai AC local train passengers alert! Big decision due to coronavirus

In view of the coronavirus outbreak, both the Central Railway (CR) and Western Railway (WR) have decided to suspend the services of air-conditioned local trains in Mumbai from Friday. A WR spokesperson said that AC locals would be cancelled till further notice. Ordinary train services would replace them, he said. A CR spokesperson said AC local services on Thane- Vashi-Panvel trans-Harbour corridor will be suspended till March-end.

The WR operates 12 AC services between Churchgate and Virar, which are often crowded during peak hours. The CR operates 16 services of AC local on trans-Harbour corridor every day.

In a separate development, it has been announced that no entry will be allowed to devotees at the landmark Haji Ali Dargah (shrine) as well as the popular Mahim Dargah in Mumbai in view of the coronavirus epidemic.

The decision to stop entry at the two shrines till further notice was taken following the Maharashtra government's advice to avoid crowding in public places, said Suhail Khandwani, Managing Trustee of Mahim Dargah and a Trustee of the Haji Ali Dargah.

Both these shrines attract lakhs of devotees, Muslim as well as non-Muslim, every year.

"We were discussing the issue with various authorities for the past few days. The decision was necessary in the interest of the city," Khandwani said. "People's lives are of paramount importance," he added, asking the devotees to cooperate. 

Earlier, the famous Siddhivinayak temple in the city had taken a similar decision.