AC locals are often cancelled without prior notice, causing last-minute inconvenience. At Kalyan, the train changes platforms randomly. We request the authorities to assign a fixed platform for AC rakes. Immediate corrective action is needed to address these anomalies,” said commuter Mukesh V Makhija
Fines of over R3.70 crore were collected for ticketless travel on AC trains over the last year. File pic/Ashish Raje
AC local train commuters on Central Railway (CR) have submitted an eight-point demand list to the authorities, seeking improvements in the premium service. Their demands include deploying dedicated ticket-checking squads at the start of every service and ensuring punctuality.
“AC locals are often cancelled without prior notice, causing last-minute inconvenience. At Kalyan, the train changes platforms randomly. We request the authorities to assign a fixed platform for AC rakes. Immediate corrective action is needed to address these anomalies,” said commuter Mukesh V Makhija. Another commuter, Sunil Chandni, said, “We urge authorities to expedite the addition of more AC locals. The crowd has increased significantly, and with delays of 15 to 20 minutes, the rush becomes unbearable, it feels like a concentration camp.”
“AC trains are delayed every day by 20 to 40 minutes, which is unacceptable. In the evenings, non-AC passengers create chaos by forcefully boarding the train. Please look into this,” appealed commuter Meher Shaikh. “We need more AC trains during peak hours, and they must run on time,” added commuter Omkar Kadam.
CR officials said they are working on the issue. “We launched a focused ticket-checking drive in first-class and AC coaches of local trains on June 16, following complaints about unauthorised travel. These teams operate end-to-end throughout the journey. Over the past year, 1,14,000 cases of ticketless travel were detected in AC locals, and penalties totalling over Rs 3.70 crore were collected,” a CR spokesperson said.
"I wish to add few point since I travel from Ghatkopar and see the difficulty commuters face. The 6:45pm CSTM-Thane Local is also always late by 20-30 minutes and commuters to Thane have to wait cause there are Kalyan and Dombivali locals beyond this time. Yesterday it was late by almost 35 mins. I have suggestion to CR that instead of 6:45 CSTM-Thane local (7:19pm Ghatkopar) they should convert 6:48pm CSTM - Thane (7:33pm Ghatkopar) local to AC as there is 6:18 AC for Dombivali and other at 6:45 for Kalyan frm Parel so commuters beyond Parel have both options. Considering Thane commuters from Ghatkopar who miss the 7:11pm Thane Local from Ghatkopar have to wait till next thane local which is at 7:33pm. So commuters without AC pass atleast have 2 normal trains for Thane. Also for morning hours there should 1 or 2 Thane starting AC local between 8-9 am. I hope CR takes this suggestion in right spirit thinking about the commuters," commuter Manasi Waghmare said.
The eight points
1. AC locals are being cancelled frequently with minimal or no prior notice —completely unacceptable for daily commuters.
2. 95 per cent of AC locals run late by 20 to 25 minutes daily, especially during peak hours. Defeats the purpose of a premium, time-saving service.
3. Ticket checking is ineffective. Around 30 per cent of passengers are unauthorised during peak hours. Need dedicated TTE squads from start to end of every AC local.
4. No AC trains beyond Kalyan in the morning hours. Commuters to Ambernath & beyond are mainly affected. We request more AC trains for this stretch.
5. More ladies coaches needed in AC locals during peak hours — for the safety, comfort and dignity of women commuters.
6. Strict penalties on unauthorised travellers regardless of any departmental association. Fare-paying passengers deserve fair value.
7. Kalyan station needs a fixed platform (1 or 1A) for AC locals. Last-minute changes confuse and harass senior citizens, pregnant women, and disabled passengers.
8. 11.17 am Ambernath-CSMT slow local is always delayed. Often runs as fast. If so, declare it fast officially to avoid confusion.
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