Mumbai News: WR To Get New AC Rake By May Amid Recent Surge In AC Tickets Sale | Representative Photo
Mumbai: The Western Railway (WR) aims to bolster its fleet with a new air-conditioned (AC) rake by May to meet the escalating demand from passengers amid the scorching summer temperatures. According to a report in the Hindustan Times, discussions between a senior Railway Board official and the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) management in Chennai on Thursday shed light on the upcoming addition to the WR’s AC rakes’ fleet.
“We have been pressing ICF for another AC local for some time now. Today, we were assured that it will be ready within a fortnight,” a WR official told the Hindustan Times.
Presently, WR operates eight AC rakes, catering to 96 services on weekdays and 53 services on weekends due to soaring demand. However, maintenance requirements often require the replacement of compartments with non-AC bogies.
While the new rake from ICF, primarily focusing on Vande Bharat trains, was anticipated in early March, delays have persisted. On the other hand, the Central Railway (CR) also awaits a similar rake, with no clarity on delivery timelines. Collectively, the WR and CR anticipate five new AC locals from ICF.
During Thursday’s visit by SK Pankaj, additional member (production units) from the Railway Board, to ICF, discussions with general manager U Subba Rao revolved around the production status of various projects, including Vande Bharat coaches and AC locals for WR, said the report.
Surge In AC Locals’ Tickets & Passes
Amidst this, the sale of AC season passes surged to a double figure earlier this month. WR data revealed a spike in season ticket purchases for AC locals in April, with 3,561 individuals acquiring passes compared to 1,300-1,400 during other months. Journey ticket sales for AC locals reached over 23,000, totalling 27,184 tickets sold.
On April 1, the ridership of AC locals on the Western line stood at 2,39,097. WR had previously augmented its services in November 2023, adding 17 new services, elevating the total number of AC trains on weekdays from 79 to 96.
