Mumbai : Taking a cue from the massive fans installed in one of the city’s malls, Western Railway (WR) is all set to install similar fans for the comfort of long-distance commuters waiting at local train stations. The fans, which have huge blades, will cost WR nearly Rs 3.5 lakh each, but will generate a breeze comparable to sea breeze for those waiting at the railway stations.
These fans will be first installed in the waiting halls at Mumbai Central and Bandra stations, where hundreds of commuters wait everyday for their trains to arrive.
It all started when a senior railway official was visiting one of the malls in the city and noticed a ceiling fan with huge blades generating a pleasant breeze. The fan, with blades as much as 2 to 2.5 meters in length, moved at a relatively slow pace but the airflow was tremendous. The official said, “The mall did not have an air conditioner in that area but, with these fans installed, the need for it was not felt. The station halls, which are mostly open, cannot be enclosed to install air conditioners, in which case a fan like this could be ideal.”
Officials are now planning to put up two to three such fans in the waiting area of Mumbai Central station and another two at Bandra. “We will ensure that the work for putting up these fans up is done as soon as possible,” the official added.
iram siddique
