Mumbai will not come to a standstill amidst the coronavirus scare as Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray said that Mumbai local trains and buses will continue operating normally.
The state was speculating whether to stop the local means of transport but the CM has put an end to these speculations. He, however, added that if people do not restrain from unnecessary travel then the state Government might initiate the move.
Speculations put to rest
The Maharashtra Government was speculating about shutting down services of Mumbai's local trains thinking that these lead to a lot of people getting together at a place at once. And during the rush hour, these trains get overcrowded as lakhs of people use local trains for traveling to and fro work.
At the moment, the most effective measure against COVID-19 is preventing the crowds from gathering. Several states, including Maharashtra, have shut down establishments and institutions visited frequently by people.
A meeting was held where the CM was into a discussion with the corporate sectors asking them to allow their employees to work from home. Thackeray clearly stated that because the government employees cannot be asked to stay home for a week, so, the staff on duty will be reduced to half. He added, "We will come with a plan on this soon."
Restrictions on unnecessary travel
The chief minister said Mumbai's local trains and buses are the lifeline of the city so they cannot be entirely shut. He said that these buses and local trains are a way through which people are earning their daily bread and butter and the government cannot stop them. The CM said, "However, the people should stop unnecessary travel. If they don't stop unnecessary crowding we will have to take a tough decision."
Taking the preventive measures to contain coronavirus a step further, Mumbai police ordered the closure of orchestra/dance bars, discotheques, pubs, live bands and DJ performances in the city till March 31 in view of coronavirus threat.
Coronavirus has 137 positive cases in India with 40 in Pune alone. The Government has asked people to stay indoors in order to avoid the virus from spreading.
