Kolkata: Eastern Railway plans to launch budget air-conditioned suburban train services. Already, trials are being run for this service.
The inaugural service will be operated on the Sealdah-Ranaghat route once the trials are over. With this, Eastern Railway will become the first in the country to run AC suburban services.
The competitive fares of Rs 29 for journeys up to 10 km and Rs 37 for distances of 11-15 km are being offered. Monthly season tickets are priced at Rs 590 and Rs 780, respectively.
Eastern Railway has received its first AC EMU from ICF, Chennai, which is currently deployed for the trial runs. A second AC EMU rake is expected to arrive soon.
The 12 coach trains will feature stainless steel construction with end-to-end connectivity through vestibule gateways. This will allow free movement between compartments.
Each coach has four electrically operated sliding doors per side controlled by drivers. It also has three-seater stainless steel seats and enhanced air circulation systems for approximately 1100 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 passenger comfort.
