The Railways has taken a major step to save the lives of passengers who travel by hanging from the doors of Mumbai’s local trains. The city has received its first non-AC automatic-door local train. The doors of this 12-coach train will remain closed automatically while it is moving and will open only after it stops at a station. This is expected to help reduce the risk of passengers falling from moving trains and travelling while hanging from the footboard.
Built at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, the train will now have to undergo safety and operational trials on the Central Railway network. A decision on inducting it into regular passenger service will be taken only after successful trials and the issuance of a fitness certificate. Earlier, the train had been tested on the 63-km Khajuraho-Mahoba rail section.
Air circulation despite closed doors
In Mumbai’s traditional non-AC local trains, natural air enters through open doors. Keeping this issue in mind, special mesh louvered panels have been fitted in the doors of the new train. Ventilators have also been provided on the roof so that air circulation is maintained inside the coaches even when the doors remain closed.
Passengers can move from one coach to another
The new train has vestibule connections between coaches. This will allow passengers to move from one coach to another within the train. The Railways expects this will help distribute crowds across different coaches.
Trials will examine these challenges
Automatic doors may increase the time the train halts at stations. During peak hours, the boarding and alighting of passengers and the functioning of door sensors will also be examined. After five passengers died in an accident near Mumbra in June 2025, the need for local trains with closed doors had gained greater emphasis. The aim of the new train is to provide passengers a safer journey without taking away the non-AC facility.
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