At least 200 people gathered at a railway station in Maharashtra, India on Wednesday (July 22) to demand permission to board local trains.

The protest was staged by non-essential workers in Nala Sopara, Mumbai Metropolitan Region where local trains can only be used by essential workers.

According to reports, the crowd, angry over the unavailability of buses to reach their workplace, blocked the local railway line to demand access to the rail network.

Footage shows the protesters breaking police barricades and occupying the railway line.

With the COVID-19 lockdown in place, local train services are only being offered to essential workers.

Police personnel used force to disperse a crowd of at least 200 people who gathered at a railway station in a protest demanding permission to board local trains in western India's Maharashtra.

The movement was staged by non-essential workers on July 22 in Nalasopara of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region in Palghar demanding access to local trains that are reserved for essential service providers because of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to reports, the workers were agitated over the unavailability of buses to reach their workplace, and in a show of defiance, blocked the local railway line to demand access to the rail network.

Visuals show distressed workers breaking the police barricades and protesting against partially deployed local train services.

A local train was reportedly stopped by commuters at the station.

With the COVID-19 lockdown in place, local train services are only being offered to those working in the essential services sectors

Apart from the essential staff, only defense personnel and employees of Central Government, Income Tax, GST & Customs, and Postal Departments, nationalized banks, Mumbai Port Trust, judiciary, and Raj Bhavan are allowed to travel in the local trains.

However, people lost their calm when Mumbai State Road Transport Corporation restricted the number of passengers the buses would ferry.

The situation was brought under control after officials of the Railways Police advised the crowd.

Reports suggest that the railway officials have filed a case against unknown persons under relevant sections of the Railway Act.