
Mumbai: Here comes a big update for the Mumbai local train commuters. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced that the Mumbai suburban railway system will soon receive new-design trains equipped with enhanced features aimed at improving passenger comfort and addressing overcrowding. Given the detailed plan, Vaishnaw stated that railway projects worth Rs 16,400 crore are currently underway on the Central Railway and Western Railway lines in Mumbai.
He further highlighted that there are plans to reduce the time gap between two local trains, which is currently 180 seconds. He stated that the gap will be decreased to 150 seconds and eventually to 120 seconds to alleviate overcrowding and increase the frequency of services.
Mumbai local trains: Check upcoming features
Giving further updates, said a detailed plan for new-design trains for the Mumbai suburban network would be announced soon and the trains are expected to feature better acceleration, improved ventilation systems with increased oxygen content to address the crowded conditions, and enhanced suspension for a smoother ride.
The minister further said that nearly 10 per cent more or around 300 local train services, in addition to 3,000 services operated daily, will be introduced in phases following the completion of the ongoing infrastructure projects.
300 km of new tracks will be laid in Mumbai
"Almost 300 km of new tracks will be laid in the city," he added and said, "A record allocation of Rs 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.”
He also stated that the state of Maharashtra has signed a tripartite agreement with the central government and the RBI to ensure smooth cash flow and fast completion of railway projects.