Cool comfort worth the extra 100, say passengers on board state's first AC local
While some seemed sensitive about paying Rs 100 more for a journey that otherwise costs Rs 20 in non-AC rakes, others said the cool comfort and the superior travel justified the fare. A monthly ticket costs Rs 2,430. The one-way fare ranges from Rs 35 to Rs 120 depending on the distance travelled.
The train was flagged off with much fanfare from Sealdah on Sunday. Commercial services started at 8.29 am on Monday. The inaugural commercial service was fairly crowded, with several passengers standing.
But there was enough legroom, unlike the non-AC local trains.
Ranaghat resident Dilip Ghosh, who works in Khadi Bhavan on CR Avenue, was smiling as he looked around the ICF-made rake, from the AC vent over the seat, noting the time as the automatic doors closed and the train chugged out of Ranaghat station. "This is like travelling on a metro train. We are covering 90 km in AC comfort and saving time as well. It would have taken around Rs 1,000 for the same ride on a hired car and taken me at least two-and-a-half hours.
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I shall reach Sealdah station at 10.10 am. A bus ride from there to my office will take another 10 mins," the 55-year-old said happily. "I shall try to catch the return train at 6.50 pm so I can be home by 8.45 pm (the Down train reaches Ranaghat at 8.32 pm)," he added.
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The train will make two trips every day, addressing the morning and evening rush, and stop at Bidhannagar Road, Dum Dum Junction, Sodepur, Khardah, Barrackpore, Naihati, Kanchrapara, Kalyani, and Chakdah, officials of Eastern Railway's Sealdah division said.
"I don't know...," said Balmiki Ray, a passenger who took the train from Khardah. "I would have paid Rs 5 for the same journey. Today I bought a ticket to Sealdah for Rs 60. The monthly passes will be a bit cheaper. But I wonder if it makes sense to increase my daily commuting expense 12 times for this comfort," the worker employed with a shop at Bagri Market said.
Biplab Mondol, who boarded the train from Chakdah, echoed: "Today I paid Rs 105 because I was curious about the facility.
The monthly ticket will cost me Rs 2,125. It's difficult to make a call when the daily commuting by non-AC train costs barely Rs 10," Mondol said.
Arati Saha, a schoolteacher from Krishnanagar, insisted: "This is the ultimate comfort and safety. Two reserved coaches for ladies, that, too, air-conditioned! Only two rides may seem tokenistic, but this is certainly a significant start."
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