Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Jan 11: In a major safety upgrade following the deadly Mumbra train accident, the Central Railway (CR) is set to introduce Mumbai’s first non-AC local train equipped with automatic closed doors. The move comes months after the June 2025 incident in which five commuters were killed and eight others injured after falling from overcrowded trains with open doors during peak hours.
Standing near open doors in non-AC local trains has long been a risky but common practice for Mumbai commuters. However, in the aftermath of the Mumbra tragedy, the Railway Board announced that all new non-AC suburban trains would be fitted with automatic doors, marking a significant shift from the decades-old open-door system.
Recently, images of the city’s first such non-AC local train have surfaced online, showing metro-style automatic doors installed inside the coaches. According to a report, the first closed-door non-AC local is likely to be introduced on the busy Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT)–Kalyan route during peak hours.
A senior Central Railway official said the train has already been prepared and will be introduced on the Central line after undergoing extensive trials and safety checks. The groundwork for the project began in September, three months after the Mumbra accident. Trials were conducted at the Kurla Carshed, and by October, the Railways confirmed that a prototype was ready for pilot runs.
“The planning is focused on peak-hour operations, and the CSMT–Kalyan route is currently the first option under consideration. Existing rakes on this stretch will be replaced with closed-door non-AC trains,” the official said.
Addressing concerns about ventilation, railway officials said air circulation will not be an issue, as the non-AC coaches will be fully interconnected, similar to AC locals, allowing free movement of passengers and airflow throughout the train.
While no official date has been announced for the launch of the automatic closed-door non-AC local, railway authorities said the pilot run and subsequent feedback would determine the future rollout. The initiative is expected to significantly improve commuter safety, though concerns over comfort and suffocation are likely to be closely watched once services begin.