Mumbai local gets automatic doors in first for non-AC suburban trains

Mumbai is set to receive Indiarsquos first nonAC suburban local train with automatic door closure marking a significant shift in the design of the cityrsquos lifeline trains The new rake developed after the Mumbra incident is aimed at improving passenger safety by preventing falls from open doorsThe 12car train manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory ICF in Chennai is currently on its way to Mumbai and is expected to arrive shortly Railway officials say the move is part of a broader policy shift to introduce closeddoor systems across all future suburban trains both AC and nonACA first for Mumbai and Indian RailwaysThis is the first time a nonAC local train with automatic doors has been developed for Mumbairsquos suburban network and for Indian RailwaysAutomatic sliding doors on the new nonAC train PicsBy Special ArrangementThe rake numbered 268201ndash268212 has been designed following consultations between the Railway Board and the Integral Coach Factory with intervention from Railway Minister Ashwini VaishnawldquoFrom the safety of commuters in Mumbai it is very important that local trains operating in the city have closed doors It has now been decided that all trains manufactured for Mumbai will have closed doorsrdquo an official saidExplainer How ventilation will workgtgt Roofmounted blowers push fresh air into coachesgtgt Two airintake units per coachgtgt Louvred doors and windows allow airflowgtgt Designed to replace opendoor ventilationgtgt Aims to reduce suffocation in crowded conditionsCloseddoor system installed on Mumbairsquos first nonAC suburban local trainConcerns over water ingressgtgt In earlier trains ventilation systems had faced issues due to water ingress during heavy rainsgtgt Officials said the new system includes antiwater ingress features to ensure rainwater does not enter the coachesTrain at a glanceType NonAC suburban local with automatic doorsRake number 268201ndash268212Configuration 12car EMUManufacturer Integral Coach Factory ChennaiStatus En route to Mumbai via WadiPolicy shift Closed doors for all future localsTrain designgtgt The train features a vestibule design allowing movement across six connected coaches within each unit and will have open windows with sliding panesgtgt This creates a seamless layout unlike traditional compartmentalised localsThe ladies coach is expected to be located at either end of the trainVentilationThe key challengegtgt One of the biggest concerns with closeddoor nonAC trains is ventilationgtgt To address this the new rake uses a forced ventilation system with roofmounted blowers that push fresh air into the coaches Each coach will have two such unitsgtgt Additionally louvred slatted doors and windows have been introduced to allow airflow even when doors remain closedgtgt Officials said the system is designed to reduce carbon dioxide buildup and maintain airflow in highdensity conditionsIt includesgtgt Doordriver interlocking systemgtgt Sensors and talkback systemgtgt Passenger information displaysgtgt Enhanced ventilation systemsCost and upgradeCost 1015 per cent higher than standard localsUpgrade focus Safety ventilation and passenger information systemsJourney to MumbaiThe rake has been dispatched from Perambur in Chennai and is travelling to Mumbai via Renigunta as an empty EMU specialCentral Railway will receive the train at Wadi station in the Solapur division before bringing it to Mumbai It is likely to arrive within daysTrials before passenger serviceThe train will undergo mandatory trials before it can be opened to passengersThese includegtgt Confirmatory oscillograph car run COCR at 110 kmph to assess safety and ride qualitygtgt Load trials using weighted material equivalent to passenger loadgtgt Passenger trials before final inductionOfficials said the process may take a few monthsCommuters speakSiddhesh Desai vice president of Mumbai Rail Pravasi SanghlsquoWe welcome the introduction of nonAC Mumbai local trains with closed doors as a crucial step towards reducing railway accidents and improving commuter safety However safety must be approached holistically Adequate first class divyang handicapped and luggage compartments must continue to be ensured Closeddoor systems alone will not be sufficient unless supported by automated entry and exit systems similar to metro rail networks We strongly recommend enhanced station security better platform management and the implementation of CBTC signalling for improved train control and frequency Passenger awareness campaigns strict crowd regulation during peak hours and emergency response readiness are equally important A comprehensive commutercentric approach will ensure Mumbairsquos lifeline becomes safer smarter and more efficient for allrsquoDevraj Malekar commuterlsquoThe current rakes running on the Mumbai suburban network have open partitions primarily to allow air inflow from the doors and circulation inside the coach The partitions also have openings from below unlike the completely closed partitions in older DC EMUs Even under a crushing load forced ventilation is not sufficient but air still circulates through the open doors Now the railways are closing these doors in a nonAC train I canrsquot imagine what the situation will be Also if the AC EMU rake design is being used they should have gone ahead with an underslung design which could have increased rake capacity by almost 15 additional coachesrsquoVijay Aravamudhan commuterlsquoThe introduction of this nonAC closeddoor 12car rake will bring a mixed bag of challenges for the Central Railway Mumbai suburban network which is already affected by a disrupted timetable with EMUs running with average delays of 25 minutes While closed doors will improve safety several issues can be expectedThe orientation of luggage and ladiesrsquo compartments may change leading to confusionClosing doors during peak hours may be challenging and could further delay servicesIf first class is not included it will add to peakhour chaosThis move is likely to receive mixed acceptancerdquo