MUMBAI: Harbour Line commuters, who have been travelling without air-conditioned (AC) local trains for over three and a half years, are set to get some relief as the Central Railway (CR) will reintroduce AC services on the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT)-Panvel corridor from January 26.
CR will replace 14 non-AC services with AC locals on the 60-km Harbour Line stretch, operating seven services each in the Up and Down directions. According to an internal CR notification issued on January 12, the competent authority has approved the proposal and the revised services will come into effect from January 26.
“We will be operating seven services each on the Up and Down lines. Of the total, there are two AC train services during the morning and evening peak hours. These services will run from Monday to Saturday, while on Sunday it will run as a non-AC service,” a CR official said.
As per the schedule, the morning peak-hour AC service will run at 9.09 am on the Panvel-CSMT route, while the evening peak-hour service will operate on the Wadala-Panvel route, departing at 5.30 pm. The first AC service of the day will depart Vashi at 4.15 am for Wadala in the Up direction, while the corresponding Down service will leave Wadala at 5.06 am for Panvel.
Sources in the CR said demand for AC locals has increased in recent months, prompting repeated commuter requests for the Harbour line. AC services on the route were withdrawn in May 2022 following low ridership and strong commuter opposition. The trains were later shifted to the Main line.
Commuter groups welcomed the move. Dinesh Parakh, president of the Navi Mumbai Railway Pravasi Sangh, said the decision would bring much-needed relief for daily passengers, especially in Navi Mumbai.
“This is definitely a decision that will provide huge relief to railway commuters, especially in Navi Mumbai. We already pay higher fares because of the railway bridge and yet have to suffer severe conditions while travelling. AC trains will ensure comfortable travel for everyone, especially as no fares are going to be increased,” Parakh said.
For Navi Mumbai, where suburban trains remain the primary mode of transport for an estimated 12,00,00 to 14,00,000 commuters daily, AC locals with automated doors are being seen as an important upgrade that combines safety, comfort and affordability.
Meanwhile, during a political rally on Monday, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said stations in Navi Mumbai were relatively better planned and that the government had recently undertaken repair and expansion work, added escalators and improved passenger amenities. “We are getting AC trains with automated doors,” he said.
With input from G Jeddy Mohiuddin