December 26, 2017 TnH Global

India’s first AC local train flagged off in Mumbai today

India’s first air-conditioned local, stretching between Mumbai’s Churchgate and Virar station, ran its maiden journey at 10:32 am on Monday from Borivali station to Churchgate in the southern part of the city. The 12-coach EMU’s inaugural run comes after 65 trial runs over two years at Kurla and Virar car-sheds. According to WR Chief Public Relations Officer Ravinder Bhakar, the last successful technical run of the train, running on broad gauge, was conducted yesterday.

The local was brought to Mumbai from the Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, on April 4, 2016. The services will replace 12 existing non-air conditioned services. Commuters, excited at the launch of the AC local which is expected to bring them respite during the scorching summer, captured the historic moments by clicking selfies as the train reached the Churchgate station at 11.16 am.

Earlier, BJP MPs Kirit Somaiya, Gopal Shetty, Maharashtra minister Vinod Tawde, Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar and WR General Manager Anil Kumar Gupta flagged off the train.

Gupta said, “This AC local is being run through a prototype coach and we will invite feedback from commuters and incorporate it in our next fleet of coaches.”