Changing the dynamics of comfortable public travel in the city, fully air-conditioned locals were introduced into Mumbai’s network on December 25, 2017 for the first time.
MRVC For Mumbai Railway Upgrade
This week witnessed a historic shift for Mumbai’s lifeline as the Ministry of Railways announced a decision that some believe will revolutionize local suburban train travel.
The Ministry has issued a one-sheet, five-point note to the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) on Friday.
MRVC is the rail upgrade, project planning and implementation body for the city, directing it to upgrade Mumbai local trains into the classy, Vande Metro (suburban) trains.
It appears that the MRVC has been instructed to place orders for the “procurement of 238 trains of Vande Metro (suburban) under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) 3 and 3A”.
Further, the MUTP projects are jointly funded by the state and the central government and aimed to upgrade the city’s rail network with new corridors and trains.
Getting External Help
Moving ahead, the trains will not be manufactured in the government-run railway factories, but by technology partners who will be roped in on contract-basis, the note stated.
Moreover, these partners will have to adhere to the Make in India guidelines.
The two car depots which are already approved under MUTP III & 3A projects at Vangaon on Western Railway and Bhivpuri on Central Railway will be set up by the technology partner.
Besides this the ministry has already given the MRVC the green signal to invite tenders for the project with stringent maintenance requirements for the next 35 years.
It appears that the planning body needs to consult with the Western and Central Railway for the requirement of 12/15 car trains.
The chairman and managing director, MRVC, SC Gupta said,“The decision to procure Vande Metro (suburban) trains reflects the government’s long-term vision for suburban rail networks and emphasizes its commitment to providing world-class transportation facilities to commuters. The introduction of these state-of-the-art trains will undoubtedly elevate the suburban travel experience.”
First time, the idea for the AC local train was mooted in 2002 which was aimed to combat the deaths caused by overcrowded trains.
Between 2005 and 2015, “25,722 passengers fell from suburban trains [traveling on Western, Central and Harbour suburban services in Mumbai Commissionerate], of whom 6,989 commuters died while 18,733 survived,” according to an RTI query by the Government Railway Police.
Reportedly, around 700 died last year, after falling off running trains.
