Mumbai: Passengers Frustrated as Air-Conditioned Locals Face Repeated Breakdowns

Mumbai, 6th June 2023: As the scorching summer heat intensifies, the demand for air-conditioned locales has surged among commuters seeking respite from the sweltering temperatures. However, passengers relying on the Western Railway’s air-conditioned locals have been facing a series of breakdowns for the past two months, leading to mounting frustration.

On Monday, the air-conditioning system of two coaches on the Virar to Churchgate fast air-conditioned local experienced a malfunction, leaving passengers in discomfort. After some time, the issue was rectified, and the local service resumed.

Despite Western Railway’s frequent advertising of air-conditioned locales, passengers have been subjected to inconvenience during their journeys. Many are displeased with the management’s inability to provide the promised comfort despite paying higher fares. At 12:20 pm on Monday, the air-conditioning system in two coaches of the Virar to Churchgate fast local malfunctioned, causing distress among passengers. With closed doors, the lack of ventilation made breathing difficult, prompting passengers to complain at Borivali station. The engineering department of Western Railway promptly addressed the issue and repaired the fault.

However, only one compartment’s air-conditioning system was restored, while the second compartment remained inactive. Subsequently, the local was dispatched to Churchgate. The incident caused a backlog, resulting in delays of 10 to 15 minutes for other fast local services heading towards Churchgate.

Instances of Air-Conditioning System Failures:

On June 5, at 12:20 pm, the air-conditioning system in two coaches of the Virar-Churchgate fast local broke down.
On May 24, at 7:56 am, the air-conditioning system in two coaches of the Virar-Churchgate fast local malfunctioned.
On April 21, at 7:15 am, the Virar-Churchgate local rake experienced technical failure.
On April 21, at 8:35 am, the air-conditioning system in the Virar-Churchgate air-conditioned local ceased functioning.