Mumbai: Central Railway commuters unite, petition for improved AC local train services

AC local train services ferry around 78,000 passengers per day. File Pic/Ashish Raje

More than a thousand regular AC local train travellers on Central Railway have created a unified WhatsApp group for regular updates on the trains. They have now petitioned the Railways to increase AC local services, add more coaches for women commuters and eliminate the ‘Sunday timetable' that leads to the cancellation of regular train services. Central Railway Mumbai operates 66 AC local train services ferrying 78,000 passengers per day.

As of now, 400 commuters have signed the petition, which will be handed over to the divisional railway manager once 80 per cent of commuters sign it. The petition, a copy of which is with mid-day, states that the main issues that passengers have been facing include crowding of ticketless travellers despite the formation of the special task force, which is an "absolute injustice" to fellow passengers who are paying 2.5 times more of season ticket fare.

Commuters in an air-conditioned train at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. File Pic/Ashish Raje

"CR should also put up advertisements inside the AC rakes on the fine/punishment if someone is traveling without ticket, just like how it is done for chain pulling without proper/adequate reason, deploy additional TCs along with RPF staff and if the TCs and RPF cannot travel in rush hour crowd, they should at least be stationed on platforms," the petition appeals.

"We are experiencing that on many occasions of the bank holidays, the CR suburban services run as per the sunday timetable, and AC locals are no exceptions for this. However, this is causing genuine hardships to the season ticket holders working in private organisations as most of them are working on such bank holidays and opting for AC local services," it added.

The petition suggested publishing the holiday list for the calendar year well in advance on the days when the Sunday timetable would be applicable. If the publication of holiday list is not possible, at least a communication should be made in advance like mega block so that people will be aware of the same and would be able to plan their travel accordingly," it stated.

"At present, only the first and last coach is reserved for women commuters, however, considering the rush hours the same seems to be insufficient. It is requested that the sixth and seveth cars be additionally reserved for women commuters, at least during rush hours. Also, please mention ‘only for women' inside the coaches, as there have been instances where the male passengers have boarded into such reserved rakes," it stated.

While a regular 12-car non-AC train has 22 per cent seats reserved for women commuters, the existing lot of AC 12-car trains have only about 13 per cent reserved space for women commuters, as per a study on AC EMUs. "Considering the overwhelming response by the commuters, a new AC local may be introduced or an existing local service may be converted into AC local service from Ambernath-CSMT route in morning rush hours from 7.30 am to 10.30 am. The Railways should also try to utilise all the rakes available with them for services," it added.

Mumbai divisional officials said they have now formed a special task force of 14 staff members with a dedicated helpline number to attend to complaints promptly. About adding more services, officials said that the system was saturated now and any new services could be added at the cost of existing services. "Though 150 additional suburban services have been added during peak hour in the past seven years, there is no scope for further increase in services. On the other side, the daily number of commuters is increasing daily and that staggered timings was the need of the hour," an official said.

Key cool demands
>>  Crackdown on ticketless travellers
>>  Disbanding the notorious Sunday timetable
>>  More space for women, at par with regular trains
>>  More AC locals, especially on Ambernath route