Mumbai Local Trains to Get New Design, More Services Soon: Railway Minister

Mumbai: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday said the Mumbai suburban railway would soon get new-design trains fitted with better features for passenger comfort and reducing overcrowding. 

Railway Minister Vaishnaw said that a plan for introducing newly designed trains on the Mumbai suburban network will be revealed soon. He made this statement while addressing a press conference via video link from New Delhi.

The new trains will feature better acceleration and enhanced passenger comfort. Most notably, they will have increased oxygen levels inside the coaches to accommodate the heavy crowds, he said, hinting at an improved ventilation system and upgraded suspension for a smoother ride.

Vaishnaw also stated that around 10% more local train services—approximately 300 additional services—will be introduced in phases once ongoing infrastructure projects are completed. Currently, Mumbai's suburban railway operates 3,000 daily services.

"Almost 300 km of new tracks will be laid in the city," he added.

The minister further highlighted that railway projects worth ₹16,400 crore are at various stages of completion for Mumbai, covering both Central and Western Railways.

To ease congestion, the time gap between two moving local trains will be reduced from 180 seconds to 150 seconds, and later to 120 seconds, allowing for more frequent services. 

"A record allocation of ₹23,778 crore has been made for railways in Maharashtra in the Union Budget 2025-26, which is 20 times more than the budgetary allocations made under the erstwhile UPA governments," Vaishnaw said.

He also mentioned that Maharashtra has signed a tripartite agreement with the Central Government and the RBI to ensure smooth cash flow and the swift completion of railway projects.

(With PTI inputs)