New Delhi: Indian Railways has prioritised the manufacturing of 238 Air-Conditioned Electric Multiple Unit (AC EMU) rakes through its three production units to ensure timely availability of rolling stock for the Mumbai suburban railway system.

Follow The PSUWatch Channel on WhatsApp

The Ministry of Railways has assigned an indicative production programme of 120 AC EMU rakes to Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, 71 rakes to Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala, and 47 rakes to Modern Coach Factory (MCF), Raebareli.

The initiative is aimed at ensuring that rolling stock is available in line with the commissioning of infrastructure under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP), Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.

The Railway Board has approved procurement of the sanctioned AC EMU rakes based on existing and proven RDSO/ICF specifications, which is expected to facilitate faster manufacturing and supply.

Indian Railways’ production units have experience in manufacturing modern passenger rolling stock, including AC EMUs, Vande Bharat trainsets and Vande Metro trainsets.

Follow PSU Watch on LinkedIN

Supply of the new AC EMU rakes is scheduled to commence in 2027, with the entire sanctioned quantity targeted for completion by 2030. The availability of the first trainsets in 2027 is expected to help bridge the gap between infrastructure commissioning and induction of rolling stock.

The phased induction of the 238 rakes will also enable optimum utilisation of the infrastructure being developed under MUTP and support the expansion and modernisation of Mumbai’s suburban rail services.

(PSU Watch– India's Business News centre that places the spotlight on PSUs, Bureaucracy, Defence and Public Policy is now on Google News. Click here to follow. Also, join PSU Watch Channel in your Telegram. You may also follow us on Twitter here and stay updated.)