Kolkata, Sep 3 (IANS): In a bid to augment its finances and cater to growing demand from passengers, the railways will provide commercial stoppages on the high-speed Duronto Express trains - which so far were non-stop trains with passengers allowed to board and alight only in the originating and terminal station respectively.

A railway source said on Thursday that the technical stoppages provided in the trains so far for operational reasons will be converted into commercial stoppages and 23 of the 54 Duronto trains have been earmarked for the change.

A railway official said the objective was to increase the passenger count, and thus, add up to the revenue.

Besides, there has been a clamour for long for allowing passenger movement at the stations where the technical stoppages were provided.

A Central Railway release said reservation for journeys starting from January 1, 2016 (bookings for which opens on September 3) has been suspended for implementation of the commercial halts and will not be available on internet and at reservation centres.

The date of opening of bookings for these Duronto Express trains with commercial halts will be notified later.

The railways would soon formally announce the commercial stoppages.

The Duronto Express trains were introduced in 2009-10, with the first trains running between Sealdah and New Delhi.