Mumbai: Western Railway(WR) is set to cross 250 daily trips operated by 15-coach locals by May, as two new rakes from the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) join its fleet. The first of the two rakes is already operational, adding 17 new services from April. The total count of 15-coach runs currently at 227 will climb to 244 this month.
Divisional Railway Manager Pankaj Singh confirmed the expansion, crediting persistent follow-up with the Railway Board. "We had requested additional rakes on priority. Two fully built 15-coach rakes are now being received, and more are expected in the coming period," he said. Each addition of 15-coach services translates directly into a 33 per cent capacity increase per trip. According to Singh, services expanded in recent months have already brought in 45,000 extra passengers daily.
The bigger milestone 15-coach slow locals running all the way to Bandra hinges on platform extension work at Vile Parle, Santacruz, Khar Road, and Bandra stations, currently capped at 12-coach length. Western Railway has taken up the work, and Singh said completion is expected soon. Once done, the Virar–Bandra slow corridor will be able to accommodate longer trains, directly benefiting lakhs of daily commuters on one of Mumbai's most congested stretches.
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New 15-coach services: 17
Capacity increase: 33% (per service)
Total WR suburban services: 1,414
12-car trains: 1,203
Non-AC: 1,070
AC: 133
15-car trains (Non-AC): 227
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