Central Railway Replaces 10 AC Locals With Non-AC Trains Amid Technical Glitch; Commuters Demand Refund For Fare Difference

Mumbai: On Monday, the Central Railways (CR) faced commuter backlash as 10 air-conditioned local train services were replaced by non-AC alternatives due to a technical glitch.

This incident is not isolated; just weeks earlier, on September 13, CR had to substitute 12 AC services for the same reason. Commuters, particularly holders of monthly season tickets (MST), are now calling for a refund of the fare difference.

The divisional railway manager (DRM) of CR's Mumbai division announced the disruption on X (formerly Twitter), stating that the decision was necessary due to the malfunction of an AC rake.

However, many commuters took to social media to express their frustration. One user criticized the situation as “utter mismanagement,” questioning the handling of prepaid tickets. Another commuter demanded, “So you refund the AC passes and tickets amount for a day?”

A senior CR official acknowledged the ongoing challenges, citing a lack of sufficient standby AC trains as a recurring issue. He emphasized that season ticket holders could still utilize the remaining AC services available. Currently, the Mumbai division operates a total of 1,810 suburban services, including 66 AC services on weekdays.