Mumbai: In a first-of-its-kind move, the Central Railway (CR) has installed an automated teller machine (ATM) onboard the Mumbai-Manmad Panchavati Express on an experimental basis.

The ATM, provided by Bank of Maharashtra, has been fitted inside a specially modified air-conditioned chair car coach of the daily express service. According to CR’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Swapnil Nila, the ATM is expected to be made available to passengers shortly.

The ATM is housed in a cubicle at the rear end of the coach, in a space that was earlier used as a makeshift pantry. The cubicle is secured with a shutter door to ensure safety and ease of access while the train is in motion. The modification work was carried out at the Manmad Railway Workshop, officials said.

Passengers have already started reacting positively to the initiative. Social media users hailed it as a “great initiative”, with one writing, “Waah! So we can take cash while we are travelling,” and another praising it as the “best service by Bank of Maharashtra.”

The Panchavati Express operates daily between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in Mumbai and Manmad Junction in Nashik district, covering the journey in approximately 4 hours and 35 minutes. It remains one of the most popular trains on the route due to its convenient timing for the intercity journey.

With PTI inputs