Rail Budget 2013: Mumbai to have AC local trains, 72 new services

Union Minister for Railways Pawan Kumar Bansal today brought some cheer to the users of the sub-urban railway network in Mumbai as he announced that first AC EMU (electric multiple unit) will ply within the next fiscal year of 2013-14.

“I am happy to inform the august House that the first AC EMU rake will be introduced on Mumbai suburban network in 2013-14,” Bansal told Parliament.

The sub-urban railway network in India’s business capital is already facing the brunt of high density footfalls as 72.4 lakh people use the system everyday and a comfortable journey is practically impossible during peak hours.

[caption id=“attachment_639893” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Union Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal. Screen grab from ibnlive[/caption]

Till now, a first class rake is differentiated from its second class counterpart only by red stripes in the exterior of the first class unit and it has cushioned seats instead of wooden planks unlike the second class ones. However, the AC trains in this local network is unlikely to divided into different classes.

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With the existing rakes providing bare minimum facilities, the introduction of AC units will mark a complete shift in comfort and image of the sub-urban railway network in Mumbai.

The railway minister also announced 72 additional services inMumbai.

In the last Budget, 75 new sub-urban services were to be introduced in Mumbai. Although the introduction of 12-car rakes on the Harbour line was announced in last year’s Rail Budget itself, it is still to be implemented.