12 February,2026 08:03 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Central Railway operates 94 AC local services. Representational Pic
Central Railway's newly launched AC local services on Mumbai's Harbour Line have seen a strong response from commuters, with 6.40 lakh passengers travelling within the first 16 days of its operations.
According to a Central Railway, the AC Harbour Line services recorded 6,40,017 passengers between January 26 and February 10, 2026, an average of 40,017 commuters per day.
During this period, Central Railway earned Rs 2.38 crore from AC local ticket sales, averaging Rs 14.90 lakh per day. Of the total revenue, Rs 1.79 crore came from season tickets, while Rs 59 lakh was generated through journey tickets.
Officials said the strong response reflects a growing preference among Mumbai local train commuters to upgrade from conventional non-AC first and second class coaches to the enhanced comfort of AC local services.
Currently, Central Railway operates 94 AC local services, including 14 new services introduced on the Harbour Line on January 26, 2026.
To curb ticketless and irregular travel, Central Railway's Mumbai Division has intensified special ticket checking drives in AC locals and at stations across the network.
Between January 26 and February 10, ticket checking teams detected 810 cases of irregular travel in Harbour Line AC locals and recovered Rs 2.50 lakh as a penalty.
In the financial year 2025-26 (up to February 10, 2026), ticket checking squads identified 1.01 lakh cases of passengers travelling without proper tickets in AC locals across both Main Line and Harbour Line routes. A total penalty of Rs 3.22 crore was recovered during this period.
Railway authorities said the enforcement action sends a clear message that irregular travel in AC local trains will not be tolerated and strict action will be taken against offenders.
Central Railway reiterated its commitment to providing safe, comfortable and efficient travel for Mumbai suburban commuters and appealed to passengers to travel with valid tickets to avoid penalties and inconvenience.
The Solapur-Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) Mumbai Vande Bharat Express has completed three years of service, marking a major milestone in modern rail connectivity and passenger convenience.
Since its inauguration on February 9, 2023, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the train has carried over 23 lakh passengers with an impressive occupancy rate of 102.27 per cent, according to the Solapur Division of Central Railway.
The 455-km service, operated as Train Nos. 22226/22225, connects Solapur, known for its textiles and martyrs, with Mumbai, India's commercial capital.
It reduces travel time to just 6 hours 30 minutes, compared to nearly 8 hours by conventional superfast trains, saving passengers approximately 1 hour 30 minutes.
