Western Railways earns Rs 40.03 Cr from its first AC local train

Mumbai: India’s first broad-gauge air-conditioned (AC) local train completed two years on track this Wednesday, earning the Western Railway at least Rs 40.03 crore, an official release stated here on Friday.

The first AC local, fitted with indigenous three- phase propulsion system of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, arrived here in May 2017, and after several safety trials, it was pressed into service on December 25, 2017.

“In the last two years, as many as 8,43,343 tickets were sold for the train, of which 6,62,565 were single-journey tickets and 1,80,778 were season tickets,” the release stated.

The WR currently operates 12 AC services, of which eight fast services ply between Churchgate and Virar and three between Churchgate and Borivali, apart from a slow service from Mahalaxmi to Borivali.

The 12-coach AC local has state-of-the-art security features including automatic door closing, talkback and fire-fighting systems in every coach.

Till now, the city has received four AC locals, three for WR and one for the Central Railway.

At present, two locals are being plied for regular services, while the third one will be operational from early next year, a railway official said.

The CR received it’s first AC local early this month and it will be plied after some mandatory safety trials, he added.