Out of these 10 new trains, four each will run from Thane and CSMT, and also between CSMT and Badlapur. Two each will be run between CSMT and Kalyan.
In good news for daily passengers of Mumbai local trains, the Indian Railways‘ Central Railway has decided to add 10 more air-conditioned (AC) trains from Friday, due to an increase in demand. With this, the total number of local AC trains to 66.
Out of these 10 new trains, four each will run from Thane and CSMT, and also between CSMT and Badlapur. Two each will be run between CSMT and Kalyan. It may, however, be noted that the total number of local trains in the Mumbai division will continue to remain at 1810 only. Among the new 10 trains, one will run in the morning and another in the evening during peak hours.
These AC trains will not run on Sundays and declared holidays. On these given days, services of non-AC trains will be used, the Indian Railways had said earlier.
As per Shivaji Sutar, Chief Public Relations Officer, Central Railways’ , the number of passengers traveling daily in local trains has increased in the last six months. While in February 2022, the number of daily passengers used to 5,939 at an average, the same increased to 34,808 at an average in July 2022, increasing more than six times.
Thane has the highest number of daily passengers using AC trains with 4,500 each day at an average. It is followed by Dombivli at an average of 4,000 passengers daily, Kalyan with an average of 3,800 passengers daily, Mulund with an average of 1,700 daily, and CSMT at an average of 1,500 daily.
According to him, there has been an increase in demand for AC trains in the Mumbai division, as trains are not only a fast medium of commuting but also economical as compared to the other means of AC transportation systems. The number of passengers has increased following a decision by authorities to reduce the ticket fares by 50 percent with effect from May 5, 2022.
Earlier, the AC local trains from CSMT and Kalyan started on March 16, 2020.
