The fully air-conditioned, super fast Duronto train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai that was to be started this October will now make its inaugural run in December this year or January 2010.
Western Railway (WR) officials have been attributing the delay in the Duronto’s launch to the unavailability of new coaches for the superfast train. “In all likelihood, the Duronto will be launched in the last week of December or in January next year,” RN Varma, general manager, Western Railway, told
DNA.
But the WR general manager didn’t explain why the Ahmedabad-Mumbai Duronto’s inauguration had to be postponed, when the super fast trains meant for other stations was launched in August or October. Among the Durontos that have already been inaugurated are those on New Delhi-Sealdah and Howrah-Mumbai routes.
Some other railway officials said that the Ahmedabad-Mumbai train’s inauguration had got delayed because of the assembly elections in Maharashtra.
“But the main reason why the Duronto cannot be launched on schedule is the railway ministry’s failure to provide the needed coaches for the train,” an official said on condition of anonymity. “It seems routes linking West Bengal to other parts of the country are more important for the ministry.”
The official added that they are still waiting for the extra coaches that are to be added to the train. “But our turn hasn’t come yet,” he said sarcastically.
The WR officials refused to say anything when asked whether old coaches with side-middle berths (better know as AC economy class) would be used in the A’bad-Mumbai train. Passengers of other Durontos in which these coaches have been used, have complained that the old bogies are very uncomfortable.
Once it becomes operational, the Ahmedabad-Mumbai Duranto will be the fastest train between the two cities, and will run thrice a week. It will depart from Ahmedabad at 11:15 pm and reach Mumbai at 6 am, taking less than 7 hours to cover the distance between the two cities.
Nearly all senior WR officials were in Ahmedabad on Monday as KH Muniyappa, the Union minister of State for Railways, was here to review the progress of different railway projects in the state.
