New AC trains in Mumbai locals to be 100% made in India

Currently, the only AC local train operating on the western line has electrical and software systems made in Germany

As part of the Centre’s ‘Make In India’ initiative, the new set of air-conditioned (AC) trains that will be running on Mumbai’s suburban rail network will be completely manufactured within the country.

The first air-conditioned local train was introduced on the Western line in December 2017. (HT Photo)

Currently, the only AC local train operating on the western line has electrical and software systems made in Germany. In contrast, the seven Medha AC local trains and 12 Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) AC local trains for Western Railway (WR) and Central Railway (CR) will be manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai and fitted with India-made electrical and software systems.

The trains will also have LED lighting installed to reduce energy consumption.

“ICF is working on 12 AC as well as partial AC local trains. The new trains will not be retrofitted and will have systems and parts under the Make In India initiative. This is also likely to decrease the cost of the AC trains,” said a senior WR official who wished to remain anonymous.

“The trains will have powerful electrical systems, better design of interiors, proper AC systems and better automatic door closure,” said a senior ICF official who did not wish to be named.

The made-in-India AC local trains are also expected to be cheaper than the ones whose systems were imported from other countries and have glitches in their software as well as with their door closing. Commuters have also complained that the WR local has water leakages and sometimes, its AC does not function.

The tenders for 12 AC local trains have been opened and the ICF aims to roll them out by March 2019. The first fully made non-AC local train, Medha, was introduced on railway tracks in March last year. Currently, there are 14 non-AC Medha local trains operating on WR.