Mumbai: Central Railway (CR) in Mumbai, converted 12 non-air-conditioned (non-AC) local train services into air-conditioned (AC) services. With this expansion, the total number of AC local train services has increased to 120, comprising 92 on the Main Line and 28 on the Harbour Line.
Taking to its X account (formerly Twitter), Central Railway announced the move aimed at improving passenger convenience.
More AC services introduced
The decision to convert non-AC services into AC services comes amid growing passenger demand for more air-conditioned local trains on the Central Railway network.
Meanwhile, the additional AC services have been introduced by replacing existing non-AC trains, ensuring that the total number of weekday suburban services across the Mumbai Division remains unchanged at 1,820.
According to NDTV, the 12 upgraded services include three peak-hour trains: the 6:46 am Titwala–CSMT local, the 9:16 am Ghatkopar–CSMT local, and the 7:18 pm CSMT–Kalyan local.
The remaining nine services have been scheduled during the late morning, afternoon, evening and night, expanding the availability of air-conditioned travel beyond peak hours and catering to passenger demand.
Ridership and revenue increase
Moreover, according to Central Railway data, AC services on the Harbour Line witnessed a 64.97 per cent increase in ridership following the May expansion, with passenger numbers rising from 2.34 lakh to 3.86 lakh. Revenue also increased by 66.43 per cent during the same period, growing from Rs 1.18 crore to Rs 1.96 crore, NDTV reported.
Ticket-checking drives have also been intensified across both the Main and Harbour lines after several passengers were found travelling without valid tickets. The move aims to curb ticketless travel on the network.
Weekend operations unchanged
Furthermore, Central Railway has clarified that the upgraded AC train services will operate from Monday to Saturday. On Sundays and public holidays, the same services will continue to run as non-AC trains.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
