Hundreds of frequent local train commuters of Dombivali, Diva, Mumbra and Kalva want Central Railway to restore the 7.47 am Dombivali-CSMT air-conditioned local service back. This Dombivli-CSMT train during morning peak hours was started by CR in December 2020, but in the new time table, effective from Feb 19, the 7.47 am Dombivali-CSMT slow AC local services has been replaced by non-AC local
Several frequent commuters of 7.47 slow Dombivali-CSMT local already formed a what'sapp group to discuss the issue. Apart from that they have already started a signature campaign to restore their favourite local service.
"It's sad to see our train has been discontinued which had better patronage then the rest of the service. The train is divided in 2 parts and 200+ passenger use to travel in first part. We have even done signature campaign to restore this service and received good response from the first half almost 209 signature so far only from CSMT side 6 coach" said Subhash Rao, an art director in a advertising company, Rao regularly commute Dombivli - CSMT and an active member of 7.47 Dombivali-CSMT air-conditioned local travelers group.
According to Rov most of travelers of Dombivali-CSMT 7.47 AC local know each other and behave like a family and celebrate every festival jointly.
"It was an attempt by CR to change the way Mumbai travels and it didn't go in vain. Slowly but steadily people started accepting this service. This service started to be a crowd puller as it was well suited for office goers who have to reach their offices by 09:30 hours. As many as 250+ people are regularly travelling by this train if you count the visible 6 coach part of the train (as train is divided into 2 parts of 6 coach each)" said, Sriram Iyer , a banker and also an active member 7.47 Dombivali-CSMT AC local travelers whtsaap group.
"The main reasons why people chose to travel other than convenient timings is because they can travel comfortably without the other wise jam packed non AC trains plying in Mumbai. Passengers have even brought Monthly Passes too" he added.
From February 19th 2022 , CR had decided to reshuffle the AC services when adding an additional 34 more AC Services in Main Line with 3 rakes. Majority of the AC services are fast trains. In this move, they decided to replace this AC local with a non AC one.
"In revised time table there are 3 so-called morning peak hours air-conditioned local services from Kalyan viz 06:32, 08:54, 10:02 hours. All are fast trains also , but none of this is going to benefit the office goers of Dombivali, Koper, Diva, Mumbra and Kalwa as like 7.47 am Dombivali-CSMT slow air-conditioned local if they have to reach CSMT on or before 09:30 am" said another frequent travelers and member of 7.47 ac local commuters WhatsApp group.
"Neither of these trains are of any use for people boarding from Diva, Mumbra and Kalva. We either have to travel by non- AC throughout or travel till Thane via roads or again by non-Ac trains and then take an AC local from Thane. But again in both situations we have to board a non-AC from Kalva. Everyone knows how difficult it is for people to board from Mumbra and Kalva without risking themselves to the crowd. Ac local from Kalva was the only reason I had decided to shift my mode of transportation from Car to train in the first place!" said Madhavi K. a government employee, who regularly commute between Kalva and CSMT.
"Besides Dombivli the 7.47 slow AC local service was also very convenient for people from Kopar, Diva, Mumbra and Kalva. Hence it is a demand from the passengers to restore the 7.47 Dombivali-CSMT AC services especially the morning peak hour ones. The evening ones are bit convenient and need not require any changes It is not necessary that it has to start from Dombivli itself but also to take care of Kalyan passengers it can start from Kalyan" said Zainab Huzefa Kaka, an account assistant , who residing in Mumbra and working with a Mumbai based firm.
"We have also come up with a solution to this issue. Central Railway, rather than starting the first local from Thane at 08:02 hours (from Kalva Carshed) it can start from Kalyan at around 07:30 hours so that it reaches Thane at around 08:02 hours and the continues as planned in the TT. So it will basically be a Semi Fast Local halting at all stations between Kalyan and Mulund" said Shriram Iyer, an active member 7.47 AC local commuters whtsapp group.
"In order to bring the rake to Kalyan the K-125 AC service arriving Kalyan at 23:05 hours may be then shunted to shunting line. The 23:11 service for Dadar ex Kalyan and thereafter Dadar Thane service in the midnight bas only been planned to take the rake back to Kalva Carshed and it is not going to give any takers. Hence the last service with the Link 2 AC Rake will be at K-125 arriving Kalyan at 23:05 hours" he added.
