For nearly two months, Mumbai local trains, which are considered to be the lifeline of the city, were non-functional due to the lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic. The step was initiated by the Maharashtra government to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Mumbai. However, due to the local trains not running for close to two months, Indian Railways has suffered losses worth ₹328 crores.
According to the Railway officials, due to the lockdown, Central and Harbour line in Mumbai suffered losses of ₹163.82 crores whereas the Western line faced a loss of ₹164.23 crores. Alongside, the AC local trains running on Central and Western Railways have also been locked up in the rail yard due to the pandemic. Since these local trains have to be maintained, Railways is also facing the maintenance cost.
As the process of relaxation of lockdown has started in the state, the rail corporation is braced with the issue of how to make up for the losses incurred during the lockdown. At present, there are more than 300 trains on the Mumbai Railway tracks including both, 12-coach and 15-coach trains.
Since there is no clarity on when the services will resume once again, the rail corporation is set to suffer further losses. Railways is unsure that the fare collected from the passengers will help them recover their losses, so they are looking to earn from non-fare revenue sources post the lockdown. This includes earning from advertisements on local trains as well as railway stations.
Mumbai Grahak Panchayat Speaks Of Discrepancies Between Airlines And Passengers
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