Mumbai’s local trains are well renowned to be the lifeline of many residents of the city. They run almost all day and each train is packed past it’s limit. Only people who have rode the local Mumbai train can tell how it feels like.
To ease the journey, IRCTC had released the financial model for the launch of AC Local trains. But it seems that the plan has been put on hold.

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) says it is yet to receive a reply from the government on it’s proposed model. IRCTC Chairman and Managing Director said it’s next step – planning how to work on this – will begin as soon as they hear back from the government. 

If things go according to IRCTC’s plan, they will launch the first AC local by June end and more will be commissioned after the monsoons. The government’s slow response is believed to be meaning that it will give Central and Western Railway a chance to run the trains.

It is also thought that the government wanted to see whether IRCTC could run these trains as a separate entity, kind of like their tour packages. This is causing somewhat of a confusion as to what the government is trying to do.

Officials are really banking on the AC segment to reduce congestion and increase revenue. If the first AC train is a success, there will be plans to make a whole AC fleet for the ease of the travellers.

It is really surprising that the financial capital of India does not have AC local trains. In this writer’s opinion, AC trains should have been launched way before the introduction of metros in Delhi, since they are a lifeline for millions of residents for their livelihood.