Railway Board

AC and non-AC coaches

AC local trains

Churchgate-Borivali

Railway Board chairman VK Yadav admits ‘local population’ is angry over the AC local’s higher fares

Central Railway

Thane

Scenes from Thane station on Friday, when doors of AC local did not close due to overcrowding. The peak-hour services were affected

Zonal Railway Users Consultative Council

Public anger has forced the Western Railway (WR) to stop buying more AC locals for its Mumbai suburban section. The WR on Friday wrote to thesaying it prefers having bothin Mumbai due to resistance from commuters towards fullyTrouble with the AC local started almost immediately after its introduction on theroute in December 2017. Commuters resented the fact that the first-class pass wasn’t considered valid to board the train (see box below). Also, because of the automated doors, the AC local was given a longer halt at stations, resulting in other trains getting delayed ( ‘AC ki taisi’, MM, February 5, 2018 ).The WR has four AC locals, of which two are currently in service, one has been sent for the periodic overhaul, while one is yet to be inducted into the fleet. On January 31, when thegot the first AC local for its suburban line (Thane-Panvel), stampede-like situation was witnessed atstation.The train’s automated doors did not close because of overcrowding, resulting in the services being delayed by about 15 minutes during the morning peak hours. The WR officials said that the AC locals in service presently will not be affected, but they don’t know whether the additional seven fully AC trains they have been allotted by the Railway Board will be added to the fleet.Similarly, the CR has been allotted six fully AC local trains, but going by the January 31 chaos, it will take a while before it introduces the second AC local.The WR’s chief public relations officer, Ravinder Bhakar, said the railway suggested a six AC and nine non-AC coach formula, and a three AC and nine non-AC coach arrangement to the Railway Board.The Railway Board chairman, VK Yadav, said that “discussions with stakeholders revealed that there was some opposition to the trains”. “The local population is opposing the fully AC trains citing the expense factor. Negotiations are ongoing, and we are thinking of going with a six AC and six non-AC combination or a three AC and nine non-AC combination,” Yadav said.Subhash Gupta, member,, said that it would have saved money and spared everyone the headache had partially AC locals been procured in the first place. “A very small percentage of commuters the AC locals,” he said.