Western Railways plans to increase its traction capacity to convert all its 9-coach trains to 12 coaches to ensure smooth journey for commuters  Passengers travelling via Churchgate, Borivli, Andheri and Goregaon can heave a sigh of relief with the decision of the Western Railways to convert 35 of its 9-coach trains to 12 coaches on these key routes. Of the 35 trains that have undergone conversion, 26 run between Churchgate and Borivli, 7 between Churchgate and Andheri and 2 between Churchgate and Goregaon. According to a survey conducted by Shippingbiz360, a whopping 100% of the respondents feel that the move will ensure hassle-free journey for commuters.Rail service: Mumbaikars’ lifeline
As per officials of Western Railways, with the addition, the number of 12-coach locals stands at 753 currently. In this context, Vaibhav Shah, managing director of Vaibhav Travels, a mid-sized transportation firm in Mumbai, says, “Railways act as lifeline of Mumbaikars. Railway services are availed by several lakh commuters. Moreover, with time the passenger density also keeps increasing in the commercial capital of the country. Therefore, with the aforementioned move of the Western Railways, passengers can definitely expect a smooth ride and in the coming days we expect services of 12-coach locals to be extended on other routes too.” Mr Shah also added that the move will aid logistics operators as most of their consignments are transported across Mumbai via local trains.
According to Kedar Srikrishna Kasar, proprietor of KK Travels, a mid-sized transportation firm in Mumbai, “The services will add to capacity expansion of local trains, thereby accommodating more passengers that will subsequently boost the revenues of Western Railways.”
Meanwhile, Western Railways has plans to upgrade all the 9-coach trains to 12 coaches for which increase in traction capacity is required. It should be noted that earlier in February this year, when traction capacity for the Borivli-Virar stretch was increased from 1,500 watts (W) direct current (DC) to 25,000 W alternating current (AC), all locals to Virar were converted to 12 coaches. AC traction not only requires less maintenance but also facilitates faster movement of trains.
Arup Choudhury
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