The first air-conditioned train on the Mumbai suburban railway service will be introduced on January 1, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said on Wednesday, PTI reported. The train was scheduled to start services in September but had to be delayed because of technical problems.
Initially, a single train will run around seven trips on the Western Line daily. More trains will be added later, officials said.
“The AC trains have been tried and tested and will be introduced on January 1,” Goyal was quoted as saying. Fares on the train will be similar to those on the Delhi Metro or around one-and-a-half times the cost of first-class tickets in existing local trains, officials said.
In June the trial run of the blue-and-silver train was marred by glitches, The Hindu reported. It first ran into problems during a trial on the Central Line because its height was more than what was permitted. Technical glitches were also reported during a trial on the Western Line.
The Western Line of the congested local train service in Mumbai has 37 stations and carries over 35 lakh passengers every day.
Other plans
The Railway Minister also spoke of plans to start elevated train services in Mumbai. “I have already requested teams in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore to do a preliminary assessment of its technical feasibility and then we can get down to preparing its financial feasibility,” he told PTI.
He also said he has approved 370 escalators for the city’s railway stations, and CCTV cameras will be installed in all trains and stations in Mumbai.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!