Eastern Railway to start 5 new AC locals soon, Howrah-Bandel route survey underway

Good news for daily commuters — Eastern Railway is all set to roll out five brand-new AC local trains very soon. General Manager Milind K. Deouskar announced the happy update, saying the first focus will be on the busy Howrah Division, especially the Howrah–Bandel route where a detailed survey is already underway. After successfully running AC locals on Sealdah–Ranaghat, Krishnanagar, Bangaon and Kalyani routes, the railway now wants to bring the same comfort to the Howrah side, where lakhs of office-goers travel every day.

The move comes after AC locals on the Sealdah Division saw a huge jump in passengers. Encouraged by the response, Eastern Railway even added one more AC local on the Sealdah–Kalyani route started yesterday. Officials say once the new rakes arrive, more routes under Howrah Division will get cool, comfortable journeys, though exact timetables and final routes are still being worked out.

Meanwhile, the GM also addressed the endless complaints about late-running Howrah Division locals. He pointed out that freight trains from South Eastern Railway often block the lines for long periods and there is no dedicated track for suburban trains between Liluah and Howrah. Work is on to build a separate “dedicated” corridor, which should ease delays once completed.