Thane NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad urges Cental Railway to review decision of replacing non-AC locals with AC trains

NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad. File Pic

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Jitendra Awhad on Monday urged the Central Railway to review its decision of replacing some of the non-air conditioned local trains with the AC ones on the main line between Mumbai and Thane.

The decision to replace the existing non-AC locals with the AC trains was causing hardships to commuters, said Jitendra Awhad, reported PTI.

The MLA from Kalwa-Mumbra in Thane said that there will be an agitation if the Railways does not resolve the problem.

Also Read: Good Fadnavis is talking about issues other than 'Hanuman Chalisa': Jitendra Awhad

Commuters from intermittent stations (like Kalwa, Mumra) do not get entry into the trains and now the non-AC local train services have been reduced. Besides, the fare of the AC locals was too high for the common man, the former state minister said, reported PTI.

Hundreds of commuters on Friday had squatted on a railway track near the Kalwa station, blocking the path of an empty AC local train for 20 minutes to demand resumption of a non-AC service in the morning peak hours.

The Central Railway (CR) has added 10 AC locals, replacing the existing non-AC locals on the main line, but commuters are unhappy with the decision.

(With inputs from PTI)