Maharashtra: Commuters squat on rail track at Kalwa to demand resumption of non-AC local in morning

Hundreds of commuters squatted on a railway track near the Kalwa station in Thane city on Friday morning, blocking the path of an empty AC local train for 20 minutes to demand resumption of a non-AC service in the morning peak hours, officials said.

The protest, however, did not affect the train services on the main line of the Central Railway (CR), as it took place at the car shed in Kalwa, they said. The CR has added 10 air conditioned (AC) locals replacing the existing non-AC locals on the main line.

CR general manager Anil Kumar Lahoti had announced these services in his Independence day speech. However, the commuters were unhappy with the decision. "An empty rake of AC local going out from the car shed was detained by people for about 20 minutes - from 8.10 am to 8.30 am," Shivaji Sutar, chief public relations officer of the CR, said. They demanded that non-AC locals be restored on the route from Kalwa to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), another official said. The railway police had a tough time removing the protesters from the track. A video of irate commuters squatting on the tracks and the police action went viral on social media. In the morning rush hour, many commuters board the non-AC local trains at the car shed in Kalwa. However, the police have been taking action against such passengers, who then find it difficult to board overcrowded trains.