Long-awaited air-conditioned local trains to roll out in October to beat the October Heat

Mumbai will get its first air-conditioned local by October end.

The train will be run by Western Railway (WR) between Churchgate and Borivli. Initially, there will be 12 services per day, with eight between Churchgate and Borivli, and four between Churchgate and Andheri. The services will be both fast and slow, and at least four services will be during peak hours. 

A WR official said the train will look like the Kolkata Metro train and each coach will have a capacity of 400 passengers, including standees. The seating arrangement will be similar to that of ordinary local trains. 

The coaches will be interconnected with vestibules, to allow commuters to move along the length of the train. This will be particularly useful for office-goers who would want to travel in groups, but may not be able to board the same coach at the same time. The train will be uni-class: all coaches will look and feel the same, and there will be no first-class or luggage compartments. The ride is expected to be smooth, as the rakes will have superior suspension and advanced braking features.