Mumbai: Come January 30, commuters on the trans-Harbour section desirous of travelling in the first air-conditioned local train on Central Railway (CR) must fork out a little extra for the cool comfort.
Officials said, the fare for a Thane-Vashi round-trip will be Rs 130, and for Thane to Panvel, Rs 175. Members of the Rail Pravasi Sangh are not happy with these fares, saying it will be a loss-making proposition for the railways, as the ridership is less than on CR's Main line.
CR plans to introduce 16 services – three each, during peak hours in the morning and evening. The AC train is likely to replace one current service on the trans-Harbour route. “Trials are complete and the train is likely to be introduced on January 30,” said a senior CR official.
The rake arrived in December 2019 and has been undergoing trials for the past three weeks, to address various concerns, starting from the height of the train to the air-conditioning and seating arrangements.
