India's Railways Mark 172 Years with New AC Services

Marking the 172nd anniversary of India’s railways, Central Railway launched 14 new AC local train services in Mumbai. These services aim to alleviate summer travel discomfort. However, some passengers express concern over higher fares as they replace non-AC services. The move increases AC operations to 80 daily services.

In celebration of the 172nd anniversary since the inception of railways in India, the Central Railway introduced 14 new air-conditioned local train services on its main line in Mumbai this Wednesday, providing much-needed respite to commuters during the sweltering summer months.

According to Swapnil Nila, chief public relations officer of the CR, seven of the 14 new AC services commenced operations by the afternoon, with additional services scheduled later. The newly launched services replace existing non-AC ones, raising the total number of AC trains on CR's main line from 66 to 80. This strategic replacement, particularly during peak hours, has attracted some criticism from commuters due to higher fare costs associated with AC travel.

These AC local trains will operate every day from Monday to Saturday. Overall, the CR manages about 1,810 suburban services daily, transporting over 3.5 million commuters across its extensive Main, Harbour, Trans-Harbour, and Belapur-Uran lines. Notably, 172 years ago, India's first passenger train embarked on its journey from Bori Bunder to Thane, marking the dawn of rail travel in the nation.

(With inputs from agencies.)