Costly AC locals and crowded trains raise safety concerns
- Newsband
- 13 Jun, 2026
By Jaya Tiwari and Manpreet Singh
NAVI MUMBAI: Overcrowding in Mumbai’s suburban railway network continues to be a major concern for commuters, many of whom believe that the high fares and low frequency of AC local trains are contributing to the rush in regular services.
Commuters on the Harbour Line say AC local trains, which operate at intervals of around two hours, often run with vacant seats as daily passengers complain about higher fares. Consequently, a large number of commuters wait for the next non-AC train, resulting in severe overcrowding in the non-AC suburban trains.
“AC train tickets are very expensive compared to the suburban local ticket, so only a few commuters can afford them. Consequently, the AC-local is seen vacant during non-peak hours, while the next non-AC train is servely over crowded,” said Jaskirat, a regular harbourline commuter.
A journey from Panvel to CSMT costs around Rs 15 in a general compartment, while the same trip in an AC local costs nearly Rs 100. Similarly, travelling from Nerul to Vashi by AC local costs around Rs 35, only marginally lower than app-based ride services such as Uber and Rapido, which typically charge between Rs 40 and Rs 45.
“If I have to pay this much for public transport, I would rather use a private vehicle or book a cab. The railways should reduce the AC-local fare so that first-class and some general passengers could upgrade their daily commute to AC-trains,” said Akshay, a daily commuter from Panvel to Vashi.
Apart from affordability, passengers are also worried about safety in the non-AC trains, which are heavily crowded, especially since the AC trains have started on the harbour line. “The punctuality of harbour line trains has been generally poor, but since the introduction of the AC-train, it has become worse. Even this week, the trains were 10-15 minutes delayed during morning peak hours due to technical reasons,” stated Sanchit, a Kamothe resident who travels to Vashi daily.
He further added that introducing closed doors in non-AC trains and improving punctuality could ensure safer travel for suburban passengers.
Divya, a student travelling daily from Diva to Vashi, stressed the need for more train services. “Many lives are lost due to overcrowding. Increasing train frequency and ensuring trains run on time can significantly reduce the rush in trains,” she said.
Commuters are urging railway authorities to address overcrowding, revise AC local fares, and improve train frequency to ensure safer and more comfortable travel for thousands of daily passengers.
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