After nearly four years, Mumbai’s Central Railway (CR) and Western Railway (WR) are set to introduce new local trains, officials confirmed on Tuesday. While WR will receive a state-of-the-art air-conditioned (AC) local train to enhance its fleet, CR is adding a regular non-AC train aimed at replacing older Harbour Line rakes. A CR official clarified, “The new non-AC train will replace an aging rake on the Harbour Line. It won’t add additional services but will improve operational efficiency.”
Meanwhile, WR has received an AC local train from the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, with officials still determining its deployment. “We are finalizing service upgrades with the new AC rakes,” a WR representative said. In response to increasing commuter demand, WR had requested additional AC trains. Consequently, eight new 12-car AC trains are being allocated across financial years 2023–2025, with WR receiving priority delivery of four trains. Eastern and Southern Railways will each receive one. Currently, WR operates 96 AC services using seven AC trains.
On the other hand, CR is not receiving new AC trains due to resistance from passengers. Since August 2022, AC services on CR have faced criticism and sparked political debates, with NCP president Sharad Pawar advocating their removal. He argued for prioritizing affordable non-AC services to accommodate the working-class population.