Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/mumbai/first-class-passengers-in-mumbai-can-now-travel-in-ac-locals-railway-announce-pass-upgradation-article-94021253
Publisher: Times Now News
Mumbai: The air-conditioned suburban trains in Mumbai have become a massive success with a seven-fold increase in ridership over the past six months. Now, the Central Railway announced that first-class local train passengers can travel in AC local trains by upgrading their quarterly passes.
The pass holders need to pay the difference in fare while upgrading the ticket. The difference will be calculated for the period from when the upgrade was made till the date of expiry, the Railway officials said. The Railway has started updating the ticketing Software in the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) to facilitate the upgradation at the earliest. It will be available for all AC EMU, DEMU and MEMU trains.
“Ministry of Railways further desire that First class quarterly, half-yearly and yearly season ticket holders shall be allowed to be converted into AC season ticket pass for travel in AC EMU services as per the terms and conditions,” a circular by the ministry said in a recent statement.
The minimum single journey ticket in AC local trains now costs R35 only for a 10 km journey. The railway had recently reduced the fares for AC local service.
According to the officials, the ridership in AC local trains registered a significant uptick in the past six months as the city came back to normal after the covid pandemic. The number of commuters climbed from 5939 per day in February this year to 41333 in August. Thane recorded boarding of the most number of passengers while Dombivali and Kalyan stations followed.
“Between February and August, the highest number of 10,50,511 passengers travelled on AC locals from Thane, followed by Dombivali with 9,39,431 passengers and Kalyan with 9,01,859 passengers,” the railway estimated.
The AC local service in Mumbai began in 2017. Out of the total 1819 suburban trips, 66 are AC locals. 10 new services were added in August.
