In a move to facilitate access to historical, religious and educational destinations in the districts of South Bengal, the Sealdah Division of Eastern Railway has introduced a fleet of air-conditioned local trains. Couple of months after the local air conditioned train services were introduced, the locals are running with 80 % to 100% percent occupancy.
The air-conditioned services were introduced along three crucial routes of the Sealdah Division in the months of August, September and December 2025. Divisional Railway Manager, Sealdah Division Rajeev Saxena said that while Krishnanagar was considered the first destination because of its historical and religious significance, the town of Kalyani was considered because of the presence of a high density of educational institutions and Ranaghat for being an important commercial centre.
“Krishnanagar is the main railway junction that serves as the crucial entry point for visitors traveling to Mayapur, which is home to the world headquarters and magnificent temple complex of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), drawing devotees from all over the globe,” Mr. Saxena said.
The services of Krishnanagar -Sealdah air-conditioned local trains, which started in the first week of September 2025 are operational all across the entire week, including Sundays with trains leaving early in the morning and the trains returning in the afternoon. The passenger occupancy of Krishnanagar-Sealdah section on December 1 was 83.29 %.
Along with connecting with the religious town of Krishnanagar in West Bengal’s Nadia district, the Sealdah Division has introduced air-conditioned locals between Sealdah to Ranaghat, another important destination in the Nadia district. The services of air conditioned locals were introduced in August 2025 and on December 1, the passenger occupancy of the section rose to almost 90 %.
The DRM said that another addition to the Sealdah section was the introduction of these full-fledged AC local services along the Kalyani Sealdah section. “Kalyani is home to several renowned universities, significant educational and research hubs, necessitating easy and reliable transportation for students. Recognizing the crucial role of Kalyani as a growing educational and medical centre, Sealdah Division has also introduced AC local services to enhance connectivity for students and patients to Kalyani,” the Railway official said.
The officials of Sealdah Division of the Eastern Railway say that the expansion of AC local fleet on these crucial routes ensures that commuters enjoy high levels of comfort and reliability at a highly competitive price point, steering people away from road traffic congestion. These are the first successful attempts of introduction of air-conditioned local trains in West Bengal.
Published – December 15, 2025 02:30 am IST
