MUMBAI (Metro Rail News): The Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) has announced the invitation for tenders for 238 Vande Metro air-conditioned rakes. These trains will be deployed across the suburban networks on the Western Railway (WR) and Central Railway (CR). With a total of 2,856 cars to be procured, this ambitious project will enable the configuration of both 12-car and 15-car trains.
The decision to procure these revolutionary Vande Metro local train rakes was made on May 19, following the approval of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Under the “Make in India” guidelines, the trains will be manufactured by the technology partner in their own factories, ensuring a boost to domestic manufacturing capabilities.
Additionally, two depots at Bhivpuri and Vangaon, already approved under MUT (Modified Utilization Triage) and 3A (Agreement for Automatic Assistance and Availability), will be established to facilitate the maintenance of these advanced rakes.
An MRVC official informed, “We plan to finalize the tenders by September, and if all goes according to plan, the first Vande Metro rake can arrive as early as 2026. Following that, a two-year testing phase for the prototype rake will commence. Subsequently, 50 rakes will be delivered each year, with the entire stock expected to be in service by 2030.”While the exact cost of each 12-car rake has not been disclosed by the MRVC, estimates suggest it will be around Rs 90 crore.
These Vande Metro AC trains will primarily replace existing non-AC services, while also creating additional paths to accommodate the increased demand. MRVC will prepare a “migration strategy” before executing plans to introduce more AC services.
The Railways had initially proposed non-AC rakes with automatic door closure facilities. However, concerns were raised by officials regarding the feasibility of this approach on the overcrowded suburban network. The potential for high carbon dioxide levels within closed coaches due to overcrowding was cited as a major obstacle. These concerns were conveyed to the railway board in January 2016, with officials from WR and CR supporting the assertion.
The MRVC, a 50:50 joint venture between the state government and the Ministry of Railways, bears equal responsibility for project costs. Funding for projects executed by the MRVC is released by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO).
The procurement of AC rakes had been put on hold since May of the previous year, as the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government failed to release its share of funding. However, on April 3, the uncertainties were resolved following assurances from Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, guaranteeing full cooperation for works under the Mumbai Urban Transport Projects.
