Commencement of Mumbai locals to turn into AC Vande Metros

Tthe entire non-AC fleet of Mumbai locals train will now slowly get converted into AC Vande Metro trains.

In a step ahead for Mumbai’s local trains, the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) process has begun for the “procurement of 238 trains of Vande Metro (suburban) under Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) 3 and 3A,” in the next seven years and building new train depots at Vangaon and Bhivpuri for their maintenance. The MUTP projects are jointly funded by the state and the central government to upgrade the city’s rail network with new corridors and trains.

This means that the entire non-AC fleet of Mumbai local train will now slowly get converted into AC Vande Metro trains. It was recently noted that, 170 years after the first train run, in a historic shift for Mumbai, the Ministry of railways had issued a one-sheet, five-point note to the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC), the rail upgrade, project planning and implementation body for the city, directing them to upgrade Mumbai local trains into classy Vande Metro (suburban) trains.

As per the document, the MRVC seeks procurement cum lifetime maintenance of Vande Metro (suburban) rakes (2,856 cars in combination of 12/15 cars), including setting up of new maintenance depots and upgradation of existing maintenance facilities with a completion period of the work 84 months (7 years) for supply of these trains along with setting up of new car sheds at Vangaon and Bhivpuri and 420 months (35 years) for comprehensive annual maintenance of trains and maintenance depot.

As per the conditions, the trains will not be manufactured as regularly done by railway factories but by the technology partners, ensuring Make in India guidelines with stringent maintenance requirements for the next 35 years.

“The decision to procure Vande Metro Suburban rakes reflects the government’s long-term vision for suburban rail networks and emphasises their commitment to providing world-class transportation facilities to commuters. The introduction of these state-of-the-art trains will undoubtedly elevate the suburban travel experience,” Subhash Chand Gupta, CMD MRVC.

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