Mumbai: In an effort to make local train air conditioners appear to be ‘cooler’ and more accessible to residents, Western train plans to increase the number of services, and improve the tariff structure for a single trace ticket.
Nearly four years after first introducing an air-conditioned local train on December 25, 2017, WR now plans to add eight more AC services, so there is a total of up to 20 services per day.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, around 20,000 passengers were available from 12 air conditioning services that ran every day.
Eight new services are now proposed on the corridor between Churchgate-Virar, with several services originating and ending in Goregaon, Borivli and Nalasopara.
The Mumbai division has sent a proposal to WR Head Quarters for approval.
A senior WR official said, “Of the eight services planned to be introduced, each will be at rush hour morning and night.” Of the 8 services planned, one pair will be between Churchgate-Goregaon-Churchgate, two pairs of churchgate-borivli-churchgate, and one service each will run from Virar to Churchgate (in the peak morning hours) and from Churchgate to Nalasopara (in rush hour night).
The decision to introduce more air conditioning trains is made in the hope that extra trains, especially during peak hours, will encourage more passengers to choose local residents of AC.
Even though WR has a six-raku AC fleet, he only runs 12 services with two rakes.
The train ministry also became proactive in promoting AC trains.
Already decided that all trains to be purchased will be purchased will be fully air conditioned.
In addition, it has also decided to introduce a tariff structure such as the Metro for a single travel ticket.
WR also plans to allow second-class and first-class tickets to travel by air conditioning by paying excess fees to the on-board ticket tester.
In a recent public survey at a rate, almost 52% of the 35,685 respondents wanted reduced rates.