Mumbai: A good news is in the offing for the passengers of Central Railway’s (CR) main line as the authorities are mulling to add 80 more airconditioned (AC) local services from the new financial year. After completion of the fifth and sixth lines on Thane- Diva route, additional tracks will be available for operating 80 more services on the stretch, considered to be one of the most busiest sections.

At present, CR Mumbai division runs 1774 local services in its suburban sections, which include 858 on main line , 614 on Harbour line , 262 on Trans Harbour line and 40 on Belapur/ Seawoods- Uran line .Of the 1774 services 38 are air conditioned, of which 10 trains run on the main line, 16 on Trans Harbour line and 12 on Harbour line. According to CR General Manager, Anil Kumar Lahoti, all the additional local trains to be introduced in future would be AC because the railways has stopped procurement of non-AC local trains. The CR is also considering to shift current AC local services being operated on the Trans Harbour and Harbour line to the main line due to lack of demand. It may instead operate them on the CSMTGoregaon stretch, where the demand is comparatively high and along with the paying capacity.

"The response for AC services on the HB and TransHarbour line is not up to the mark. Hence discussions are on to shift these AC trains to fast corridor of main line as well as CSMTGoregaon section," said a CR official, adding an average 53 passengers travelled in AC local trains average daily on Harbour line between December 1 and December 20, this year, while 1,709 passengers in the AC trains on main line.

"Keeping in mind the current traffic pattern of AC trains, we have decided to introduce few services on fast corridor of main line," said a senior CR official. He added, the new time table with several additional local services is being prepared, which will be implemented after completion of the much awaited Thane-Diva 5th-6th line project in February 2022.

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