The Central Railway is scheduled to take delivery of two new non-AC electric multiple unit (EMU) rakes equipped with automatic doors and vestibules from the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, by the end of March 2026. The rakes are expected to be introduced in the suburban network from April 2026, after a series of trials.
The rakes were developed following the Mumbra local train accident on June 9, 2025, in which four passengers were killed and several others injured. The accident occurred when commuters, many of them traveling on footboards or hanging from open doors, fell when two trains crossed each other near Mumbra station in Thane district. The incident highlighted the safety risks associated with crowded, non-air-conditioned commuter trains operating with doors open during rush hours.
In response, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw directed ICF to design rakes that prioritize passenger safety. The prototype features automatic door-closing mechanisms to prevent passengers from leaning out or boarding moving trains, door vents and ceiling-mounted fans to maintain airflow, and vestibules between cars to allow passengers to move safely and redistribute crowds during rush hours.
“The ICF will hand over the prototype by March-end and then Central Railway will conduct multiple tests on the prototype to arrive at a conclusion,” said Swapnil Nila, director public relations, Central Railway.
The rakes were commissioned shortly after the Mumbra accident and are expected to undergo extensive testing before being deployed to the revenue service. Once approved, they will be a major safety improvement for the suburban network of the Central Railway, which carries more than 70 lakh passengers a day.