After over 70 days of the lockdown when private firms began on Monday albeit with 10 attendance, thousands of Mumbaikars stepped out for their -first day of office-. For many, without Mumbai-s lifeline — local trains — getting to work itself was a challenge, as travelling by the BEST took forever. Some chose private transport. Equipped with masks, sanitisers and other protective measures, they stepped out with trepidation, which by the end of the day, had turned into confidence for some. Here-s how they faced the new -normal.

For the past 40 years, Jaswant Jani, 55, a resident of Mira Road, is the purchase manager at Roopam in Crawford Market, had been taking the local train to work. Jani usually took a 10.22 AM train from Mira Road station to Churchgate station, and reached his workplace between 11:15-11:30 AM. However, on Monday, when he went back to work for the first time since the national lockdown is being lifted, Jani had to change buses thrice and spend hours in queue at the bus stop with hundreds of other people, while they waited for their turn to board a bus. He finally reached work around lunchtime.