A new air-conditioned rake, manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, arrived at the Kandivali Yard of the Indian Railways in Mumbai on Tuesday, The Indian Express reported. The rake will undergo a week-long testing phase before being introduced into passenger service. According to officials, this addition will enable the Western Railway to increase the number of AC local train services by 10-12 per day.
In a parallel development, a non-AC rake was recently delivered to the Kalwa car shed of the Central Railway. Sources said that this rake will replace an older one on the Uran-Kharkopar line, where five rakes are currently in operation.
These new arrivals mark the first addition of suburban trains to both Western and Central Railways in nearly four years.
Approximately 31 lakh passengers rely on Western Railway’s suburban train services in Mumbai daily, while Central Railway serves around 38 lakh commuters each day.
Western Railway services
AC – 7 (12 coaches)
Non AC – 74 (12 coaches) and 14 (15 coaches)
Total trips – 1,406
Central Railway services
AC – 5 (12 coaches)
Non AC – 131 (12 coaches) and 2 (15 coaches)
Total trips – 1,810