Mumbai local gets first non-AC automatic-door train; passengers will no longer hang from doors
Mumbai. The Railways has taken a major step for the safety of passengers travelling on local trains, known as Mumbai’s lifeline. Mumbai has received its first non-AC local train with automatic doors. The doors of this 12-coach train will remain closed while it is moving and will open only after it reaches a station. The aim is to stop passengers from travelling while standing on the footboard or hanging from the doors. However, the train has not yet been inducted into regular passenger service.
Safety and operational trials will be held. Built at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, the train has already been tested on the 63-km Khajuraho-Mahoba section. Central Railway will now conduct safety and operational trials on Mumbai’s suburban network. It can be introduced for passengers only after inspection by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) and the required fitness clearance.
Airflow will be available despite closed doors. In a non-AC local, closed doors can create problems of heat and suffocation. Keeping this in mind, special louvred sections have been provided in the train doors so that air can enter. A ventilation system has also been installed on the roof. The windows have been made wider than before to maintain airflow inside the coaches.
Passengers will be able to move from one coach to another. The new train has vestibule connections between coaches. This will allow passengers to move from one compartment to another. It is expected to help distribute crowding across different coaches. Other safety equipment and passenger-convenience changes have also been made in the train.
The initiative gained pace after the Mumbra accident. On June 9, 2025, passengers fell from two crowded local trains near Mumbra. Five people died in the accident and several passengers were injured. After this, the demand to introduce automatic doors in local trains intensified. Lakhs of people travel by local trains in Mumbai every day. In such a situation, the new train is expected to help prevent accidents involving passengers falling from moving trains. However, before regular service begins, the trials will examine the functioning of the doors, operations during crowding and the capacity of the ventilation system.
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