Air-conditioned Mumbai local trains' fares to be reduced by 50%, says Union minister Raosaheb Danve

The Minister of State for Railways Raosaheb Danve has announced that the fares for Mumbai local trains' air-conditioned coaches will be cut by half. The local trains in Mumbai are considered the city's lifeline as lakhs of passengers from all the sections of the society travel via the public transport to avoid jam-packed roads.

Danve made the announcement while inaugurating the restored heritage building of the Byculla railway station in the presence of Maharashtra Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis.

The existing minimum fare of Rs 65 for a distance of 5 km will be reduced to Rs 30, Danve said.The minister said it was a long-pending demand of the public to reduce the fares of air-conditioned local trains in Mumbai and they had received suggestions to reduce the existing fare by at least 20-30 per cent.

Danve, however, did not specify when the revision in fares will come into force. Around 80 air-conditioned local train services are operated on both the Central and Western Railway on a daily basis.