Mumbai: 1st Class may soon become AC on 15-coach Western Railway locals

One completely AC local and four 15-car rakes each with a 6-coach air-conditioned section. This is the plan that the Western Railway is giving shape in its efforts to offer more climate-controlled coaches to commuters, DNA has learnt.

Under the plan, WR will convert the First Class compartments on its 15-car locals to interconnected AC coaches. "The demand for the AC local is slowly picking up, especially during peak hours. We want to increase the footfall inside these locals and six AC coaches in a 15-car train could provide that break," said a WR official on condition of anonymity.

With just one AC local operating at the moment, it becomes difficult for regular commuters to stick to a specific timetable. "Once we give the commuters more options, it will help us study their preference and decide the future of AC or semi-AC locals," said the officer.

WR now has four 12-car AC locals. While it is keen to run one AC local and keep a second as standby, it wants to cannibalise four sets of 6 coaches for the 15-car trains. Sources said the earlier plan of having six AC and non-AC coaches in a 12-car train has been put on hold. AC commute costs about 1.3 times that of First Class travel.

Of WR's daily commuter count of 35.49 lakh, the AC local ferries an average 18,000 passengers every day. That is about .36% of the total number of people using the WR suburban system Churchgate-Dahanu Road route. With four 15-car trains, WR operates 54 services a day.