Mumbai’s upcoming air-conditioned (AC) suburban local trains, termed as Vande Metro (suburban), are being designed with a slew of never-before features — including stand-back areas with glass draught screens near doors, fire sensors, dedicated vendor compartments, wheelchair bays with clamps, and CCTV-linked emergency alarms that can beam live visuals to the motorman’s cab.
On Saturday night, the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation Ltd (MRVC) floated an e-tender on the Indian government’s e-procure website for the global procurement and long-term maintenance of 2856 fully AC Vande Metro (suburban) coaches. These rakes will be in 12, 15, and 18-car formations as per requirements and feasibility of operation, significantly enhancing passenger capacity, comfort, and safety on the city’s lifeline.
Every passenger doorway will be flanked by a longitudinal stand-back area to let commuters step aside when the train halts. These areas will be separated by clear toughened-glass draught screens, which cut gusts of wind at high speed but also double up as safe handholds for passengers.
Comfort for all
Coaches will come with dedicated wheelchair spaces, fitted with clamps and grab rails to secure and support mobility-impaired commuters. Seats for passengers with disability will be earmarked, with provision for separate layout and AC adjustments in the handicapped and ladies’ compartments. In another first, as reported by mid-day earlier, each train will house two vendor compartments — one behind each motorman’s cab. These will have separate exhaust arrangements with no-return air ducts, ensuring odours do not circulate.
Central Railway currently runs 66 AC train services, while Western Railway runs 109. File pic/SATEJ SHINDE
Each coach will be fitted with smoke and heat detectors. To avoid false alarms, if a Passenger Emergency Alarm (PEA) is activated, the motorman get an alert on his console and also see the live CCTV feed from that coach.
Among other amenities, commuters can expect charging points, larger windows, and real-time information screens showing next station, destination, time, distance, and door status. These displays will also support emergency messages, weather alerts and news. The trains will be able to maintain 40 kmph speed through floodwater levels up to 75 mm above rail lines. Officials said the detailed layout will be frozen during the prototype stage before full rollout.
The new trains will feature ergonomically designed seats — lightweight, fire-resistant, anti-slip, durable and vandal-proof, designed for both comfort and low maintenance, with proper lumbar support. The coaches will retain the existing transverse 3+3 seating pattern of Mumbai’s suburban system to ensure familiarity.
This ambitious procurement of 2856 Vande Metro coaches is a massive leap forward in Mumbai’s transport infrastructure. Longer, faster, and safer rakes in 12, 15, and 18-car configurations, should ease crowding while ensuring punctuality and passenger safety. With modern features like automatic doors, enhanced technical specifications, and world-class maintenance support, MRVC is delivering a future-ready suburban railway that meets expectations of millions of daily commuters,” said Vilas Sopan Wadekar, chairman and managing director, MRVC.
First train in 2 yrs
The first prototype rake is expected to arrive in about two years of awarding the contract. Currently, the majority of suburban services in Mumbai are operated with 12-car rakes, with only limited 15-car services. To address future demand and reduce crowding, the new procurement provides for both 15-car services on a larger scale and 18-car rakes, subject to feasibility.
The tender, uploaded on September 6, under Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) Phase III and IIIA, covers not just the supply of these modern rakes but also their comprehensive maintenance for 35 years.
Two state-of-the-art maintenance depots will also be developed — one each on Central and Western Railway (Bhivpuri and Vangaon, respectively) — ensuring dedicated upkeep of the new fleet. The submission of bids will commence on December 8, 2025, with bid opening scheduled for December 22, 2025. The tender will also follow the ‘Make in India’ policy, ensuring significant domestic manufacturing and technology integration.
Features introduced
>> Stand-back areas near doors with glass draught screens for safe handholds
>> Dedicated wheelchair bay with clamps/grab rails; marked PWD/ladies’ seats
>> CCTV-linked emergency alarms enable motorman to see live feed from coaches
>> Smoke and heat multi-sensor detectors with false alarm compensation
>> Ergonomic seating that is fire-resistant, anti-slip, vandal-proof
>> USB charging points
>> Dynamic display system for real-time information
>> Trains run at 40 kmph in 75 mm water above rail level
