Indian Railways flags off ten AC local train services for CSMT-Kalyan from today

Mumbai, Dec 17: In a recent development, the Indian Railways' Central Railway zone kick started 10 air-conditioned local train services on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) - Kalyan section replacing existing ordinary suburban services from today. According to reports, these 10 AC locals will run on six days a week, barring Sunday.

Out of the 10 AC local services, two will be operated between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (in Mumbai) and Kalyan (in neighbouring Thane), four between CSMT and Dombivli (Thane) and four between CSMT and Kurla, the CR said.

"These train services will run with air-conditioned rakes from Monday to Saturday and will halt at all stations. Passengers as permitted by the Ministry of Railways and Maharashtra government are only allowed to travel," CR's chief public relations officer Shivaji Sutar said.

It can be seen that the first AC local service on the main line began from Kurla for CSMT at 5.42 am, while the last AC local will depart from CSMT for Kurla at 11.25 pm.

"It's a good step and will be a relief for us in summer," a local told reporters.

However, this is the first time that the Central Railway (CR) introduced an AC locals on its main line, where services are operated from the CSMT to Kasara and Khopoli.

The CR was operating AC local train services on its Thane-Vashi/Panvel trans-harbour line before the coronavirus- enforced lockdown came into force in March this year.

Presently, only staff of the essential and emergency services and those authorised by government are allowed to travel in local trains, considered, as the lifeline of Mumbai, which resumed operations in June.