Attention Mumbaikars! The suburban trains running through the city, also known as the lifeline of Mumbai, will soon be upgraded to Vande Metro trains! The dream of traveling in faster, safer and more comfortable coaches is now set to become a reality and the good news is, the upgrade will happen sooner than you can imagine!
The Railways Ministry has already ordered the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) to obtain 238 suburban trains which will be redeveloped into the modern Vande Metro trains.
Mumbai’s upcoming Vande Metro: The Plan & The Route
Vande Metros are basically the mini version of India’s first indigenous semi-high speed train – the Vande Bharat Express. It was announced in the Union Budget 2023-24 that the Vande Metro will be a state-of-the-art rake that will operate in big cities for shorter distances to cover cities that are around 100 km apart.
Currently in Mumbai, the Central Railways and the Western Railways operate the two suburban railway corridors which stretch to 319 kms. The trains running on these corridors connect five districts of Mumbai, including Thane, Palghar, Raigad and Mumbai suburban. According to the Indian Express, the Central and Western railway lines operate a total of 3,129 services, including the AC local trains. The AC trains alone carry around 60 lakh passengers everyday.
The 238 trains that will be procured will then run on these lines and provide a better, faster, safer and of course much more comfortable travel for daily commuters.
Vande Metro in Mumbai: Manufacturing and other important details
MVRC chief public relations officer Sunil Udasi has told IE that the Vande Metro trains will be developed by the technology partner in their own factories ensuring that all Make in India guidelines of the Department for Promotion of Industries and Internal Trade are followed.
The 238 trains will be obtained under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project-III (MUTP-III) and 3A (MUTP-3A). For those unaware, these two projects are being helmed by the Railway Ministry and the Maharashtra government.
MRVC will undertake the procurement of these rakes. The technology partner will also set up two depots for maintenance of the racks.
Amid the soaring temperature, AC locals are the first choice of commuters, but considering the city’s population, there aren’t enough trains to meet the demand. And this is why Vande Metro will definitely change the game of Mumbai’s transport system.