Indian Rail Finance Corporation World Bank AC trains Western Railway line Mirror Test Drive: Pay Rs 100 for a 5-minute ride to airport Fliers travelling to airport from Airport Road Metro station have to first deal with fleecing auto drivers. Western Railway identifies 12 death traps FOB pillars close to the tracks at Lower Parel, Prabhadevi account for 13 deaths in five months. MRVC says it has now approachedMumbai currently has only one AC rake, which runs 12 daily services on weekdays between Churchgate and Virar on theWhile the World Bank representatives were not available to explain the decision to not fund AC trains, MRVC officials, who did not wish to be quoted, said there was disagreement over whether the trains should be bought outright or leased. There was a difference of opinion also over where the trains should be procured from – within the country or outside.The World Bank also, sources said, wanted the Virar- Panvel corridor prioritised over the AC locals. “But that is not possible. The corridor has not yet been cleared by the Union cabinet,” said an MRVC official.Mirror sent e-mails on Friday to Atul Agarwal and Nandita Roy, the World Bank officials in India who have held discussions with MRVC on the issue, seeking their comments. There was no response from either of the officers till the time of going to press.The AC train currently running in Mumbai is manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory 9ICF), Chennai. This newspaper recently reported how delivery of four more AC rakes has been pushed forward because of a delay on the part of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) in supplying electrical components to ICF.Under MUTP-III, 47 air-conditioned rakes of 12 cars each are to be procured at a total estimated cost of Rs 3,491 crore, of which, funding of Rs 1,300 crore was to be provided by the World Bank.“There should not be any major problem. We have begun talking to the Indian Rail Finance Corporation,” CMD, MRVC, R S Khurana said.

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