More opt for AC local due to October heat

Mumbai: As the temperature of the city is on the rise, the Western Railway commuters have shifted to the Air Conditioned suburban train owing to the October heat. According to the data provided by the WR: the sale of AC train tickets have risen by 60 per cent.

A WR official said, “The single journey tickets and season tickets have seen a rise of 60 per cent in October (till 10th) in comparison to last month.” He also said that in first 10 days of September, 9,283 journey tickets and season tickets were sold and 1.29 lakh passengers used the AC local, earning WR '49.25 lakh, while in the first 10 days of October this month, 14,921 journey tickets and season tickets were sold. A total of 1.73 lakh passenger travelled in the AC local and it yielded WR an earning of '69.51 lakh. Official attributed it to the October heat and the train's comfort and affordability.

WR chief spokesperson Ravinder Bhakar said that this 60 per cent rise in ticket sales is higher when compared to the peak summer months of May and June this year.