All eyes are now on the month of October for an update on Covid-triggered restrictions, including access to local trains. The lakhs of Mumbaikars who had gone to their native places, mostly in Konkan, for the Ganpati festival have slowly started returning to the city. By the time everyone is back, it will be September-end and any spike or fall in cases reported after would be a pointer on further relaxations.

A senior transport official told mid-day, “If the number of cases does not rise, we will be in a safe zone and only then a few more restrictions could be lifted. The coming few days are very crucial and will reveal all and help us take further directions.” With almost a race between the BJP and Shiv Sena for one-upmanship, the number of buses and special trains for Ganapati is almost twice that of those operated last year and that too with minimal restrictions. These thousands of buses and trains will now return with all the crowds back to Mumbai in the next 8-9 days.