With new coaches being introduced, people who commute in suburban trains, better known as 'locals' in Mumbai will finally experience a better, faster and more comfortable ride.
The new trains will run at a speed of 70-80 kilometers per hour between Churchgate and Borivli, and go up to 105 kilometers per hour on the Borivli-Virar-Dahanu stretch. This will reduce travel time significantly, and will result in more journeys through the day, with lesser waiting time between trains.
The suburban rail in Mumbai is one of the world's most crowded railway systems, and acts as the city's lifeline. During peak hours, one train carries close to 6,000 commuters, and more than 7.5 million commuters use local trains daily in the city.
At 11:32 this morning, the first Bombardier train rolled out of Churchgate station. Among the feature that have seen a marked improvement are the new seats, and new holding bars including those near the doors. The new coaches have comparatively more space than the current ones, especially between seats. This may help commuters during peak hours.
Jimit Pandya from Bombardier told NDTV, "These rakes have a lot of built in redundancies so the failure rates will be less. The auxiliary supply system will ensure that ventilation will not be cut off when the train passes through a neutral section. The ventilation and fans will continue to function."
While two rakes have been pressed into service on Wednesday, more are expected to join the fleet in phases, by the end of this year.
"Train Studio": Wholesome Video Of Men Singing, Vibing To Music In Mumbai Local Is Viral Video: Man Performs Stunt While Boarding Local Train In Mumbai Mumbai Woman Survives After Local Train Runs Over Her, Loses Legs "Barbaric, Genocidal Actions...": Priyanka Gandhi On Netanyahu's US Speech Barack Obama, Wife Michelle Endorse Kamala Harris' Bid For US Presidency French Rail Network "Sabotaged" Ahead Of Olympics, 8 Lakh People Affected Bengaluru Woman Spends Rs 16,600 On Uber, More Than Half Of Her Rent 1,600 Tonnes Of Lithium Deposits Found In 2 Karnataka Districts: Minister Tax Body Clarifies Acquisition Cost Of Property Bought Before 2001 For LTCG Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.