The first non-air-conditioned (non-AC) door-closing EMU local on Monday arrived at the Kurla car shed in Mumbai, marking a key step in the city’s suburban railway upgrade plan.
The new train is part of efforts to improve safety and commuter experience on the city’s busy suburban network.
The newly introduced EMU rake features a door-closing system aimed at reducing accidents caused by overcrowding and passengers travelling on open doorways.
The system is designed to enhance safety during peak-hour travel, when Mumbai’s suburban trains are heavily crowded.
Developed after the Mumbra incident
The new rake, developed after the Mumbra incident, is aimed at improving passenger safety by preventing falls from open doors.
The 12-car train, manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, is currently on its way to Mumbai and is expected to arrive shortly. Railway officials say the move is part of a broader policy shift to introduce closed-door systems across all future suburban trains, both AC and non-AC.
Mid-day had earlier reported about the city soon to receive India’s first non-AC suburban local train with automatic door closure, marking a significant shift in the design of the city’s lifeline trains.
Read more: Mumbai local gets automatic doors in first for non-AC suburban trains
A first for Mumbai and Indian Railways
This is the first time a non-AC local train with automatic doors has been developed for Mumbai’s suburban network and for Indian Railways.
The rake has been designed following consultations between the Railway Board.
Train design
The train features a vestibule design, allowing movement across coaches within each unit and will have open windows with sliding panes.
It creates a seamless layout, unlike traditional compartmentalised locals.
The ladies coach is expected to be located at either end of the train.
Trials before passenger service
The train will undergo mandatory trials before it can be opened to passengers.
These include the following-
– Confirmatory oscillograph car run (COCR) at 110 kmph to assess safety and ride quality
– Load trials using weighted material equivalent to passenger load
– Passenger trials before final induction
