Chalk out plan to convert locals to AC trains: Piyush Goyal to government officials

Mumbai:  In a meeting between Mumbai railway officials and union minister Piyush Goyal on Friday, the latter asked the railway to chalk out a plan on how to eventually convert non-AC trains into AC trains. Options such as retrofitting trains to AC were discussed and a plan will soon be presented to Mr Goyal.

Officials revealed that the minister asked about workability of the plan and what technical difficulties would crop up. An official cited the example of the 72-odd Bombardier-make trains that were delivered to the Western Railway (WR) in 2016, whose coal life is 25 years. He said, “The 72 trains for example will be the first to be retrofitted with AC units as they are exact copies of Bombardier sans AC units. Hence, if they are retrofitted with AC units, the travelling experience will be the same.”

Another official said that older trains would most likely remain untouched. “If the train has a life of another five to 10 years, we will not invest money in it as we know it will soon be of no use. After 25 years, trains are not used as the mechanism becomes too unsafe for them to run.”

Railway activist Subhash Gupta said, “The AC is going to change the way Mumbai travels. The fear of death every time you step into a train will be taken away as the AC train does not move if passengers are still at the footboard.”

Difference between AC and non-AC

• There is more leg-room.
• There is a talkback system in the train for commuters to contact the motorman.
• The train has doors which close automatically as cold air is pushed in through the unit at almost 19 degree Celsius.
• The AC train, unlike non-AC trains, does not allow commuters to stand at the footboard, thereby reducing the number of deaths caused when commuters get pushed out of overcrowded trains.