With several public facilities in the city shutting over the last week amid the spread of Coronavirus, the fully functioning local trains remain the only major step between Mumbai and a full lockdown. With bureaucrats standing against the Cabinet's idea of shutting down rail and other public transports, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government is now strongly considering the introduction of staggered office timings for private companies and keeping shops closed on alternate days.

Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday evening chaired a high-level meeting with senior IAS officers to discuss a solution to reduce crowding in trains. The concept of having staggered timings and allowing shops to function on alternative days came up in response.