Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) issued an international tender for procurement of 2,856 coaches of Vande Metro trains for Mumbai’s suburban network, officials said.
This is part of the ambitious Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP), they said. A senior MRVC official said that under Phase-3 and 3A of MUTP projects worth Rs 10,947 crore and Rs 33,690 crore, respectively, the bids for procurement of 2,856 coaches equal to 238 trains of 12 coach composition have been invited.
Along with the procurement-cum-lifetime maintenance of Vande Metro rakes, the successful bidder will have to set up new maintenance depots for Vande Metro and upgrade the existing maintenance facilities, the official said citing the tender document.
As per the tender document uploaded on MRVC’s website, the successful bidders will have to supply the air-conditioned Vande Metro within seven years along with setting up of new carsheds at Vangaon (Palghar district) and Bhivpuri (Raigad district) respectively, the official said. Under the MUTP-3 and 3A projects, the railway and state authorities will undertake various infrastructure projects for capacity augmentation of Mumbai’s suburban network.
Talking about the features of Vande Metro, another MRVC official said these trains will have automatic door-closing system and fully-vestibuled coaches with single class of coaches means no first class or second class arrangement as in existing non-AC locals. There were apprehensions from some sections whether there will be vendor compartments in Vande Metro or not, but MRVC has clarified that there will be two separate AC vendor compartments at both ends of the trains. The trains will have separate AC vendors or luggage compartments at both ends of trains, segregated from the AC air circulation vents so that the smell of items like fish, does not cause inconvenience to commuters travelling in other coaches, he said.
The coaches will be earmarked for ladies, passengers with disabilities and senior citizens, etc as per the existing arrangement, the official said adding that the trains will have energy-efficient LED lights and emergency lights.
The trains will have CCTV, talkback systems, infotainment with large digital display panels, dynamic route map indication for enroute stations, USB ports for mobile/laptop charging in passenger saloon area, and automatic fire detection and alarm system.