Mumbai Commutes, Railways Commits: From October, More Passengers And Stops In AC Local Trains 

The Western Railway zone of the Indian Railways plans to have stops at the Mumbai AC local train service at Marine Lines, Charni Road and Grant Road railway stations, reports Financial Express.

The decision of having three more stops for the Mumbai AC local train was taken at a meeting held between the Western Railway authorities and passenger associations as part of the Suburban Rail Users Consultative Committee (SRUCC).

The air-conditioned local train service does not stop at any station between Mumbai Central and Churchgate. Many commuters who work in Kalbadevi, Zaveri Bazaar, Lamington Road, Bhuleshwar areas need to debark at Marine Lines, Charni Road and Grant Road.

The train operates 12 services a day between Churchgate-Virar. Since its introduction last year on 25 December, over 22 lakh commuters are reported to have travelled in it.

About 25,000 commuters who travel on Mumbai suburban section regularly and who earlier held season passes for moving in the first class compartments have recently switched to commute by the AC local train service.

The train also saw a footfall of commuters who earlier used cars to travel, to beat traffic on roads. There has been a 10 per cent increase every month in the number of commuters taking the AC local train from December, says a railway report. According to railway officials, 90 per cent of the regular commuters of the AC local train were ones who held first-class season passes and cars.