Mumbai: Central Railway's first air-conditioned (AC) local train, to be introduced within a month, is likely to be piloted by a motorwoman, Mumtaz Kazi, on its maiden run. CR officials said she is currently being trained in the workings of the new train. Currently, there are two AC rakes on the Western Railway, of which one is operational while the other is being overhauled.
“The first AC local arrived at our Kurla carshed on Monday. Modification work, including those of electrical fitments, will be completed in a month, after which it will be commissioned. Nearly 100 staffers are being trained to operate this AC local, and we plan to deploy a woman to pilot it on its maiden run,” said Shalabh Goel, divisional railway manager, CR.
There is a chance the AC local will be first operated on the trans-Harbour section. “We are consulting passenger representatives on this matter," Goel said.
The second AC rake on CR will come in by March 2020, followed by four more at the end of the year. Costing Rs 54 crore, the AC local has no general or first-class compartments.
“It will be able to carry 6,000 passengers and has features like the 'emergency talk back' system, for passengers to communicate with the train's guard, and a GPS-based passenger information system,” said Shivaji Sutar, chief public relations officer, CR.
For now, the AC train, parked at the Kurla carshed, will undergo static trials.
