Mumbai Local Train: Commuters Block Railway Tracks, Stage ‘Rail Roko’ Protest at Virar Station Over AC Train Services on Western Line

Mumbai local train commuters held a 'rai roko' protest at Virar Railway station after back-to-back AC local services, where a large crowd of people travel on normal local trains, blocked the railway tracks to protest against the introduction of additional AC local trains on Monday morning, May 5, on the Western Line.

Around 15 to 20 commuters reportedly get on the railway tracks to stop local trains in protest against Western Railway's (WR) decision to replace the Virar-Churchgate local train of 8.28 with an air-conditioned (AC) service from May 1, 2026.

Visuals From Virar Station

@WesternRly@drmbct@rajtoday
Public agitation at Virar, opposition to newly introduced 08:28 AC local, instead of normal non AC local.

Please do the needful 🙏 pic.twitter.com/fcv6k7XFqm

— вorυ вaтena (@1976sweetpotato) May 4, 2026

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Passengers were seen chanting slogans against the railway after getting down on the tracks, which has disturbed suburban train services by 10 to 12 minutes, which has caused huge rush at the platforms in the Western Line.

Commuters accused Railway that government forcing middle-class commuters to commute in costlier AC local trains. Even Central Railway (CR) has the same pattern, has it converted 14 non -AC services into AC, WR has converted 12, taking their total AC services to 108 and 145, respectively.