NASHIK: The Rail Parishad-Traveling Association has filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Mumbai High Court alleging that the Nashik-Mumbai and Pune-Mumbai train Monthly Season Ticket (MST) passes are not being issued even after taking both doses of the vaccine. Passengers have to bear the brunt of not getting a monthly pass. The petition alleges that they have to travel long distances every day for work.
Why doesn’t it issue train passes to passengers? The High Court has asked the state government to provide such information by October 25, informed by Gurmeet Singh Rawal, President of Rail Parishad. Western Railway and Northern Railway have started issuing monthly and quarterly passes to long distance commuters. But on the hand the passses are not issued by the Central Railway.
Therefore, the commuters travelling from Nashik, Pune to Mumbai for daily work are suffering a lot. The action of the railways is discriminatory, the PIL said. The petition alleges that the fundamental right of passengers to equality is being violated. The Railway Parishad has filed a petition in the High Court through Adv Alankar Kirpekar seeking an order for immediate distribution of passes to the Railway commuters.
The petition was heard before a bench of Justice Amjad Syed and Justice S G Dige. The petitioners told the court that many people commute daily from Pune, Nashik to Mumbai for work. With the pass service closed, they now have to draw their tickets. Those who have completed two doses of vaccination for emergency work can get only 10 tickets per month per person on Aadhaar Card and five tickets online. But there are no facilities for regular travelers.
Other modes of transportation are also not economically viable. “We are ready to give the pass,” the railway administration told the high court. But the state government does not allow it, it said. The petitioners said that people travel daily from Pune, Nashik through Panchavati Express, Rajyarani, Lokmanya Tilak Express, Deccan Express, Sinhagad Express.
The journey is becoming more difficult as passes are banned. Citizens cannot afford to travel by other means of transport. It is also a waste of time. The court, after hearing the argument, directed the state government to provide information in the matter beforw adjourning the hearing.
