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The Harbour Line, one of the most congested corridors of the Mumbai Suburban Railway network, has so far lagged behind the Western and Central Main lines in terms of AC local connectivity. For years, commuters on this route have depended largely on non-AC rakes, despite rising passenger volumes and discomfort during peak hours.

Details On Train Timings

According to Central Railway, the new services will include seven ‘Up’ trains heading towards CSMT/Wadala Road and seven ‘Down’ trains running towards Panvel/Vashi. The first Up AC local will depart from Vashi at 4:15 am and reach Wadala Road at 4:46 am, while the last Up service will leave Panvel at 6:37 pm and arrive at CSMT at 7:55 pm. On the Down route, the first train will depart from Wadala Road at 5:06 am and reach Panvel at 6:08 am, with the last service leaving CSMT at 8:00 pm and arriving in Panvel at 9:21 pm.

While the announcement has been welcomed as a step towards more comfortable and dust-free travel, several commuters have expressed dissatisfaction over the scheduling. Many pointed out that the gap between consecutive AC local services ranges from two to three hours, making them impractical for daily office commuters. Meanwhile, for commuters who have booked train passes for the next three to six months, AC local travel will be a wait.

Daily Commuters React To Timings

Regular Harbour Line users said the long intervals would limit the usefulness of the AC locals. Some commuters described the timings as 'vague' and demanded more frequent services throughout the day to ensure better adoption and footfall.

Sumit S, who travels from Vashi to CSMT for his job, said, "These timings are so vague. Harbour line has seen a long wait for the AC local luxury, but with such a long time between two trips, not many commuters will be able to get its feel."

Sharan D, who boards the CSMT local from Kharghar, said, "These AC local trips are not helpful for most office-goers. The sheer interval of nearly 3 hours between two trips will lead to less footfall for the AC local."

Another commuter, Rachit Shetty, who travels from Chembur to Wadala, termed the timings as useless. "I'll have to specially miss my office one day to take the AC local feel on the Harbour line. These timings are so useless."

Central Railway clarified that the 14 AC locals are replacements for existing non-AC services and not additional runs. As a result, the total number of suburban services operated daily by Central Railway will remain unchanged at 1,820.

With this addition, the total number of AC local services on the Central Railway network has increased to 94, including 80 on the Main Line and 14 on the Harbour Line. Despite concerns over timings, railway officials believe the introduction will gradually ease commuter discomfort and offer a premium travel option on the Harbour corridor.

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