Western Railway to run additional 15-car rake

Sources have said that on the recommendation of the special railway committee, the Western Railway (WR) will run one more 15-coach train to reduce overcrowding. Currently, the WR runs two 15-coach trains that provide 30 services in a day.

The WR committee had made its recommendations to the railway officials on January 1, after 21-year-old Bhavesh Nakate had fallen off a train in November last year and died.

“The committee feels that even if two to three extra 15-coach services run during the morning and evening peak hours they will benefit a huge number of people as the extra three coaches will accommodate those that usually hang outside trains,” said an official.

According to railway statistics, at least 400 people are accommodated inside each coach during rush hour, “This would then mean that the 15-coach train would carry 1,200 extra people or at least accommodate those who usually hang outside the train,” added the official.

The committee has also recommended that the Metro-type seating not be implemented on the WR and it stick to the two-by-two seating arrangement, while its counterpart Central Railway (CR) has included the two-by-two as well as the Metro-type seating and removed an entire row of seats located near the door. “For some reason, the committee feels that the

Metro-type longitudinal seating would not suit Mumbaikars so it has removed it from the list as one of the options,” said the official.The CR committee is expected to come out with its railway committee report by January 10.