Low footfall prompts move; just about 53 commuters took the air-conditioned trains daily between Dec 1 and 20
An AC local at Kurla station. File pic
Compelled by poor responses to the AC local trains on the trans-harbour line, the Central Railway has abruptly withdrawn the services from the route. It will introduce the trains on the CSMT-Goregaon line in the hope of better footfall.
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A handful of commuters who had bought passes and tickets on the trans-harbour line wanted to know about the refunds. Railway officials said the commuters will get their refunds soon.
“Central Railway will introduce 16 AC suburban services between CSMT and Goregaon/Vashi/ Panvel/ Bandra on Harbour line (by replacing non-AC services) with effect from January 3. These AC services will be run as non-AC (normal) suburban services on Sundays,” Central Railway chief public relations officer Shivaji Sutar said.
mid-day had highlighted in its December 24 that the railways was considering diverting the AC services to the CSMT-Goregaon stretch in search of patronage.
The AC local on the trans-harbour was the first such train introduced by the Central Railway, in January 2020. However, it never found favour with users.
Between December 1 and 20 last year, 1,052 used the services with a daily average of about 53 passengers. Airoli saw the maximum footfall at 548, followed by 205 at Rabale and 124 at Koparkhairane. In November 2021, official numbers showed, 1,197 passengers used the trains, with a daily average of 40.
‘TMC lost credibility over Kalwa bridge date’
Despite written assurances by the Thane Municipal Corporation of throwing open the Kalwa road overbridge by December 25, the civic body failed to deliver on its promise, prompting rail commuters to question its credibility. “Now they are fighting over the credit of building the bridge which has been under construction since 2006. Whoever takes the credit should also take the blame for the delay,” local passenger body Mumbai Railway Pravasi Sangh said.
1,197
No. of commuters who used the service in Nov 2021
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