City likely to get 11 more AC local trains starting March

Even as the first air-conditioned local train missed several deadlines, the city is likely to get 11 more air-conditioned trains from March this year.

Even as the first air-conditioned local train missed several deadlines, the city is likely to get 11 more air-conditioned trains from March this year.

“The railways board has ordered 12 air-conditioned trains with automatic door closure system for the city,” said Prabhat Sahai, chairman and managing director, Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC), in response to a question about automatic the door closure system for suburban locals at a press conference.

Sahai said the trains will be manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai and will ply on both Central Railway (CR) and Western Railway (WR). However, he refused to divulge details about the AC trains as the MRVC is not involved in it.

Designed and approved by the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO), the first AC local may reach the city only after the fitting of the electrical supplies by Bharat Heavy Electric Limited (BHEL). After being in the planning stage since 2002, the first AC local was expected to reach the city in 2013.

When asked about the introduction of the Bombardier rakes, which reached the city in 2013, Sahai said they were still awaiting a nod from the commissioner railway safety (CRS) and the railway board.