The Central Railway (CR) has decided to run ten air-conditioned local train services on the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus-Kalyan route from today (December 17).
This is the first time that the CR is introducing AC locals on its main line, where services are operated from the CSMT to Kasara and Khopoli.
The CR was operating AC local train services on its Thane-Vashi/Panvel trans-harbour line before the coronavirus- enforced lockdown came into force in March this year.
Out of the 10 AC local services, two will be operated between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (in Mumbai) and Kalyan (in neighbouring Thane), four between CSMT and Dombivli (Thane), and four between CSMT and Kurla, the CR said in a release on Wednesday. The first AC local service on the main line will start from Kurla for CSMT at 5.42 am, while the last AC local will depart from CSMT for Kurla at 11.25 pm.
The fare for the air-conditioned train will be 1.3 times the fare for first-class travel. The minimum fare will be Rs 65 and the maximum Rs 220 for a single-ticket journey.
Here is the schedule of the AC local train that will be operated on CSMT – Kalyan main line section:
The above services will run with AC rake on Monday to Saturday only and will halt at all stations. Passengers as permitted by the Ministry of Railways and the Government of Maharashtra are only allowed to travel, the CR said in a statement.
Meanwhile, suburban train services in Mumbai are likely to be opened to all commuters from early January, Maharashtra Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Vijay Wadettiwar said on Tuesday.
While talking to reporters, Wadettiwar said the state government's correspondence with the Railway Ministry in this regard was in the final stages.
"We have been writing to the Railway ministry to open the suburban network to all commuters and it may be done from early January next year," he said.
Currently, only staff of the essential and emergency services and those authorised by the government are allowed to travel in local trains, considered, as the lifeline of Mumbai, which resumed operations in June.
The suburban network, called Mumbai's lifeline, use to ferry over 70 lakh commuters daily before the coronavirus outbreak. The vast rail network was closed in March-end after the coronavirus-induced lockdown was announced and was gradually opened for railway and essential services staffers.
(With inputs from Agencies)
