CR gets first AC local, commissioning expected in a month

The first air-conditioned suburban local for Central Railway's fleet has arrived at Kurla Carshed, and it is expected to be commissioned for public use in a month's time, officials said on Tuesday.

Currently Western Railway has two such rakes, of which one is operational while the other is undergoing overhaul.

"We received the first AC local in our fleet on Monday. The work of modifications, including electrical fitments, will be finished in a month, after which it will be commissioned," CR's Mumbai Divisional Railway Manager Shalabh Goel told reporters.

He said 100 staffers are being trained to operate this AC local, and CR planned to deploy a woman to pilot the maiden run.

"We are consulting with passenger representatives on which route it should be deployed," Goel added.

He said CR's second AC rake will come in by March next year, followed by four more by the end of 2020.

Built at a cost of Rs 54 crore, this AC local has no general or first class compartments.

It will be able to carry 6,000 passengers and has features like the 'Emergency Talk Back' system for passengers to communicate with the train's guard, and a GPS-based passenger information system, CR chief public relations officer Shivaji Sutar said.

Rajiv Singal, former member of Divisional Railway Users Consultative Committee of CR, said AC suburban services will prompt people to leave private cars and take public transport.