The Railways has taken a significant step to ensure the safe travel of local train passengers. By January 2026, new-design non-AC local trains equipped with automatic doors will be introduced for passenger service. In the wake of recent accident on the Central line which clamed lives of four local commuters, the Railway Minister and Railway Board officials held a meeting with a team from the Integral Coach Factory (ICF).
Officials stated that the meeting aimed to find a practical solution for implementing automatic door closures in Mumbai’s non-AC local trains. These new trains will be designed with features to address potential ventilation issues arising from closed doors in non-air-conditioned coaches.
The first train with the new design is expected to be ready by November 2025. Following testing, it will be introduced into service by January 2026.
Key Design Changes Include:
Ventilated doors: Doors will have air vents to ensure maximum airflow.
Roof ventilation units: These will draw fresh air into the compartments.
Vestibule connections: Coaches will have interconnecting pathways, allowing passengers to move between coaches easily and enabling better crowd distribution.