200 AC train tickets sold daily from February 4-6, says Central Railway

The Central Railway (CR) on Friday said that around 200 tickets were sold every day for the first air-conditioned (AC) local on the trans-Harbour line in the past

The Central Railway (CR) on Friday said that around 200 tickets were sold every day for the first air-conditioned (AC) local on the trans-Harbour line in the past three days. Officials also said that an average of 1,000 passes were sold on February 4, 5 and 6.

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CR officials said that the sale of the ticket and pass sales will pick up by the summer.

AK Jain, senior public relations officer (SPRO), CR, said, “The services have just been introduced and we are certain that the sales will pick up in summer. The fact that 1,000 passes are being sold every day, verifies that commuters have given good response.”

The local operates 16 times, with eight services during the morning peaks hours and eight at evening. It originates from Panvel, and halts at Vashi, Nerul and Thane stations. The monthly pass for the AC local costs ₹1,985, while a one-way ticket between Panvel and Thane costs ₹185.

Transport activist Hemant Sharma said that it is too early to gauge the response. “We will have to wait for at least a few more months to get the real picture,” he said.

The inaugural run of the AC train was conducted on January, 30. The next day, the railways witnessed a stampede-like situation at Thane station and officials said many passengers who did not have the right ticket, also boarded the train. Following this, CR deployed around 100 Railway Police Force (RPF) and ticket checkers inside the train and on the platform.