Western Railway (WR) will introduce 13 new air-conditioned (AC) train services on its suburban network starting November 27, replacing an equal number of non-AC services. This move increases the total number of AC services to 109 on weekdays and 65 on weekends, while maintaining the overall suburban service count at 1,406.
The introduction comes amid a growing demand for AC local trains, aiming to provide greater comfort and reduce crowding on the busy network. ""These additional services will benefit passengers and enhance commuting convenience,"" said Vineet Abhishek, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO), WR.
Of the new services, six will run in the up direction and seven in the down direction. Up services include two each between Virar-Churchgate and Bhayandar-Churchgate, and one each between Virar-Bandra and Bhayandar-Andheri. Down services feature two between Churchgate-Virar and one each on routes such as Churchgate-Bhayandar, Andheri-Virar, and Bandra-Bhayandar.
WR’s suburban network, spanning 128 km from Churchgate in south Mumbai to Dahanu in Palghar district, caters to around 3.5 million daily commuters. The first new AC train will depart from Churchgate at 12:34 pm on November 27, marking the start of this upgraded service.
(ET)
