Beat the Heat for rupees 29: Eastern Railway to Launch Budget Air-Conditioned Suburban Train Service

(Written by Debasmita Chowdhury)
The Eastern Railway zone is running trials for air-conditioned suburban train services which officials said will be offered at significantly low fares.
It has received its first AC EMU (Electric Multiple Unit) train manufactured at Integral Coach Factory, Chennai, which has been deployed to the Sealdah Division for testing and trial runs. A second AC EMU rake is expected to arrive shortly at the Eastern Railway Jurisdiction.
Officials say that the inaugural service, which is to be operated on the Sealdah-Ranaghat route once the trials are concluded, will offer competitive fares of Rs 29 for journeys up to 10 km and Rs 37 for distances of 11-15 km. Monthly season tickets are priced at Rs 590 and Rs 780 respectively.
Dr Uday Shankar Jha, Principal Chief Commercial Manager, Eastern Railway, said, 'It is a matter of great pride that the eastern part of the country, Eastern Railway, is taking the lead to introduce ACAMU services.' He stated that the air-conditioned coaches would provide relief from 'extreme heat, extreme rush, and so many other related discomforts' that suburban passengers currently face.
Jha also said, 'Initially, it is believed that AC travel will be very costly, but Indian Railways has introduced a fair scheme which is much more competitive and in comparison to roadways, it is almost 10 times cheaper'.
The 12-coach trains will feature stainless steel construction with end-to-end connectivity through sealed vestibule gangways, allowing free movement between compartments. Each coach has four electrically operated sliding doors per side controlled by drivers, three-seater stainless steel seats, and enhanced air circulation systems for approximately 1,100 passengers. Additional amenities include CCTV surveillance, wear-resistant rubber flooring, aluminium extruded modular luggage racks, GPS-based passenger information displays, and large double-sealed windows to enhance the comfort of the passengers.
'Passengers will be able to commute from their home to their office in a pleasant condition and even carry out office work during travel due to better seating and air circulation, hence getting a double benefit,' said Jha.
Eastern Railway officials indicate that the service will meet growing suburban passenger demands while modernising rail travel in the Kolkata metropolitan area at a very affordable price. Commercial operations will begin after completion of the current testing and trial runs.

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