Mid-day Impact: Central Railway to introduce AC locals on holidays, Sundays; WR to fix Bandra station roof

Commuters aboard an AC local train, from Virar to Churchgate. Pic/Mitesh Dave

In a string of impacts of mid-day's reports, the Central Railway plans to introduce AC locals on holidays and Sundays, while the Western Railway has begun fixing the central roof of the Bandra station. mid-day had last week highlighted concerns of commuters on CR and WR. While CR travellers rued the lack of AC services on Sundays and on holidays, WR commuters had to bear the heat at roofless Bandra station.

The CR is planning to introduce the AC local train on the mainline by shifting it from the harbour line. It is also planning to introduce limited AC services on Sundays and Holidays. However, official confirmation of this is awaited.

Commuters wait to board the AC local train as it arrives at CSMT. File pic/Ashish Raje

CR and WR each have four AC locals. CR runs 60 services, WR operates 28 services (including a few on harbour line). After fares were brought down by the railways last month, commuters have been demanding regular services and also more in the peak hour. Central Railway officials said it may be difficult to run all AC train services but can be restored to a limited manner, given the train maintenance schedule and mega blocks.

As per official data, an average of 19,761 passengers used CR's AC services daily in April. Of the 19,761 passengers, 17,473 used the main line service and 2,288 used the harbour line AC service. CR also runs a few services on harbour line. In the first 8 days of this month, the average number of passengers on the AC trains was 28,241. Of this, 24,842 passengers used the main line AC service, and 3,299 commuters used harbour line AC locals.

Shifting trains from harbour

Railway sources said that given the huge response to the AC local service on the main line compared to the harbour line, the main line needed more services to fill the gap. A few limited services have also been planned on Sundays and holidays. Minister of State for Railways Raosaheb Danve last week announced slashing of single journey AC train ticket fares, followed by lowering of the regular first class one too.

WR said the roof work at Bandra was part of a restoration project

Bandra station roof WR authorities on Sunday began relaying the central main roof of Bandra station, days after mid-day highlighted how commuters were suffering under the scorching summer sun. Railway officials had said that the removal and replacement of the roof was part of the scheduled work of the heritage restoration process.

"We have started the process of placing back the roof and it will be complete within a few days. The heritage station building and the precinct is in the middle of a restoration project. The station has now got escalators at the north end and the work on improving the flooring and upgrading the foot overbridge landings at the south end is currently underway. A new elevated booking office has also been constructed," a senior official said.

After mid-day had highlighted the Bandra station roof, several commuters had written about similar complaints at other stations on both the lines with either roofs missing entirely due to ongoing works like construction of new bridges, elevators or escalators, or parts missing, which could prove to be problematic in the monsoon. Railway officials said that following the report, as a part of their monsoon preparations, a survey of all such missing covers over platforms is being conducted and they will be fixed before the monsoon sets in. At some places, where engineering work would progress in the rain, a temporary shade will be erected, railway officials said.

60
No. of AC services run by CR

28
No. of AC services run by WR