Mumbai: Time to turn all fast trains to AC locals?

Commuters and Shiv Sena leaders protest at Bhayandar station on Monday most of the commuters mid-day spoke to agreed that the railways should introduce more AC local trains

In 2022, it was Badlapur and in 2024, it is Bhayandar, though both times were political. The AC local train issue has been simmering among Mumbai commuters with many wanting to switch over, but its separate fare structure is deterring them.

Most of the commuters mid-day spoke to agreed that the Railways should introduce more AC trains but emphasised the need to stagger the timings of AC and non-AC trains in consultation with passengers to prevent conflicts.

However, the Railways maintained that the fare of AC local trains, at 84 paise per kilometere, remains cheaper than a monthly bus pass. With these challenges ongoing, is it time to consider the consultant's suggestion for transitioning from regular trains to AC locals by first converting the fast train corridor to AC?

It may be noted that to navigate the transition from non-AC to AC local with minimal commuter disruption, the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) had appointed Systra as its consultant to develop an efficient migration strategy from non-AC to AC trains while causing the least possible inconvenience to commuters.

As per their interim report, the consultant had proposed a four-phase plan over 18 months to nearly a decade, prioritising fast corridors initially before migrating to slower ones for the transition of Mumbai's regular local trains into AC trains. An official said there have been interim recommendations and the final report was awaited. Only after the final report is submitted, shall it be studied and implemented if found feasible.

Commuters at Badlapur and Bhayandar also suggested staggering the AC train timings so that there is an adequate gap between the two trains. "The AC train should be introduced in such a manner that there should be an adequate gap between non-AC and AC trains to balance out both the classes of public. The Railways should consult the stakeholders or us who are passenger representatives. We are their eyes on the ground," Rajiv Singal, member, Western Railway Mumbai's Divisional Railway Users' Consultative Committee, said.

Police try to defuse the protest at Bhayandar station on Monday. PIC/RAJENDRA B. ARLEKAR

"Railways must come up with solutions to control accidents due to trains being overcrowded during peak hours. If they are planning to increase the AC local, then the travel cost of AC local needs to be reduced. So that many people can pay and travel in AC local," said another AC local commuter Mukesh Makhija.

According to a senior railway official, there was no divide as such between passengers as an increasing number of passengers were now wanting AC trains. "There was no protest by commuters at Bhayandar or anywhere today. Both the so-called "agitations" against AC local trains were political ones. They don't have the support of commuters who desperately require affordable, safe, convenient and comfortable commuting which is fulfilled by AC local," the railway official added.

"Mumbaikars need to pay if they want a better-quality train. There has been no fare hike in the past decade and the commute remains cheapest at 11 paise per km. When it comes to speed and cost-effectiveness, no other mode of transport comes close to local trains. It is an example of affordability and speed," a senior rail official said.