Amidst the relentless heat, travellers are seeking refuge within the cool confines of AC Mumbai local trains. As per reports, on May 6, Western Railway (WR) witnessed an unprecedented influx of 2.48 lakh train travellers, the highest-ever daily footfall inside AC locals, leading to a sale of 32,016 tickets. At the same time, the Central Railway (CR) experienced a surge in passengers too, accommodating 1.41 lakh individuals who purchased 18,932 tickets.

Since May 1, a notable surge in commuters of both fast and slow AC locals along the Virar-Churchgate route has been observed, reaching a daily average of 1.53 lakh passengers. A significant rise compared to last May's average of 1.07 lakh. Currently, WR is operating 96 AC local trains on weekdays, using eight rakes along this route. Given the heightened demand, WR’s have requested additional AC rakes from the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai. This request, pending for the last three months, aims to address the escalating footfalls.

Concurrently, CR has also been keeping pace with its WR, witnessing a notable paseneger increase since May 1. On its 66 AC train services, an average of 91,000 passengers have been ferried daily, marking a substantial increase from last May's 58,150. Operating along the CSMT-Kalyan corridor, Central Railway deploys six rakes to manage these services.