Mumbai, Nov 27 : Bowing to commuters' demands, the Western Railway (WR) has acquired a new air-conditioned rake, which was deployed on Wednesday, to provide 13 more AC suburban train services, an official said here.

The new cool services shall replace 13 existing ordinary (non-AC 12-car) services, ensuring that the total number of 1,406 (including 109 AC services) daily trips remain undisturbed.

WR's Chief Spokesperson Vineet Abhishek informed that with this, the total number of AC local train services has gone up from the existing 96 to 109 on weekdays and from 52 to 65 during weekends.

'The growing popularity of AC local trains has led to this initiative, it is aimed at reducing crowding and enhancing passenger comforts. The new services shall replace 13 existing non-AC 12 car services,' said Abhishek, on the AC trains services which were first launched in 2017.

The inaugural new rake started its maiden service at 12.34 p.m. and would serve the suburban sectors covering Mumbai, Mumbai Suburban District, Thane and Palghar with six in the up direction (towards Churchgate) and seven in the down side (from Churchgate).

Of the 13 new services, six services shall run from Churchgate to Virar and Bhayander, others will link Virar-Bandra, Bhayander-Andheri, Mahalaxmi-Borivali and Borivali-Bhayander.

According to WR officials, currently around 1.24 lakh commuters -- roughly four per cent of the WR's daily 31 lakh riders -- prefer to travel by the AC trains, which are proving to be a significant revenue generator.

With seven AC rakes already in service, the latest one became the eighth AC rake and has joined the fleet of a total of 111 rakes, comprising 14 non-AC 15-coach rakes, plus 74 ordinary 12-coach rakes.

The new rake has been built by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai and was brought to Mumbai recently. It was stationed in the Kandivali Yards where it underwent some final checks and tests before entering the rigours of the crowded Mumbai suburban sector to offer the commuters a 'cool crush'.

The Central Railway also runs many AC local trains from 2020, and the government plans to convert all the suburban rakes to AC in the next few years.

/IANS