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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 on Friday.
The first AC local, fitted with indigenous three-phase propulsion system of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, arrived in Mumbai in May 2017, and after several safety trials, it was pressed into service on December 25, 2017.
On an average, approximately 18,000 commuters travel by the AC local everyday, with at least 1,500 in each service, the WR’s statement said.
“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 Western Railway 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, talk backand fire-fighting systems in every coach. Till now, the city has received four AC locals, three for Western Railway 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 Central Railway received it’s first AC local early this month and it will be plied after some mandatory safety trials, he added.
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