Mumbai Local News: CR, WR Set to Add New AC Trains After Months of Waiting

The Central Railway (CR) and Western Railway (WR) in Mumbai are set to receive one new air-conditioned (AC) local train each after months of waiting. The Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai has dispatched the new trains, which will soon join the Mumbai fleet.

As per reports, current AC trains are working at full capacity, and there are no extra trains available. Generally, extra trains are required to manage malfunctions and routine maintenance, which have been difficult due to the shortage of replacement trains. 

For WR, one underslung Medha AC train has been dispatched from ICF. The underslung design places equipment like electrical systems below the coach floor instead of inside. This allows each train to carry 1,116 passengers instead of the current 1,028 seated passengers.

Currently, CR runs 90 AC services with seven AC trains, while WR operates 109 AC services with 10 AC trains. Each new AC train can allow the railways to add 10-12 additional services daily. Interestingly, while more AC services could be added, no new services will be introduced immediately.

As per a report by FPJ, CR authorities confirmed that a new AC train is also on its way to Mumbai and will take at least two weeks to arrive and be inducted into the fleet.

In the future, the railways plan to introduce specially designed AC local trains for Mumbai. Under phases 3 and 3A of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP), Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw greenlit the purchase of 238 AC local trains with vestibule coaches, which allow passengers to walk between connected coaches. 

Of these, 191 trains will be acquired under MUTP-3A and 47 under MUTP-3. The total project cost is estimated at INR 19,293 crore. Tenders for manufacturing these coaches have already been issued.

The new AC locals will be faster and smoother in travel. They will also come with display systems showing route information and cushioned seats instead of the current steel seating.