05 January,2019 07:56 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. Aklekar
Passengers' associations have stressed on keeping the existing services intact while bringing the AC trains as an additional service
Following reports about the possibility of air-conditioned trains in Mumbai, the Central Railway on Friday formally announced details of the train and invited passenger associations from across Mumbai to send suggestions for the new trains.
The plan is to run 40 services across the main, harbour and trans-harbour lines between 6 am and 9 pm on the slow line only. However, passengers' associations have stressed on not disturbing the existing services, and instead running the air-conditioned trains as an additional service. The railway board has asked manufacturers Integral Coach Factory to give priority to the Central Railway, allotting them six of the 12 AC trains.
"We have told them that there should be no compromise on the services. They should bring the AC trains as an additional service and not remove any existing service," passenger association member Madhu Kotian said. Subhash Gupta of Yatri Sangh Mumbai said the railway should instead add three AC coaches to the existing trains, considering the non-AC commuters on a packed station.
Badlapur passenger association member Sanjay Mestry said that the Central Railway should think of passengers beyond Kalyan and that the train should be started from destinations like Karjat, Kasara, Khopoli, Badlapur etc.
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Mansoor Umer Darvesh of Passenger Traffic and Relief Association said that the Central Railway must learn from its Western counterpart on how to run the AC train. It should not lead to taking away any existing service. The new AC train, made of BHEL electrics and touted as the little sister of the iconic Train 18 that was unveiled last week, will arrive on the Central line this year.
Also Read: New and improved AC train that Mumbai designed is on its way
Also Read: Sorry, Western Railway, the next two AC trains will go to Central Railway
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